Gambia and beyond

Having spent a week on the so-called ‘smiling coast’ (more like a fixed grin), we realised it was more of an African Majorca than the tropical paradise we had hoped for. The only saving grace (for us anyway!) were the supermarkets. When Carruthers and I entered one, we were like children at Hamleys at Christmas, confronted as we were with bacon, Branston pickle, HP sauce and Ainsley Harriot cuppa soups, just like Waitrose but plus 50%.

Appalled by the drunken lobster red English tourists, we headed east. Following the course of the Gambia River we overnighted at Tendaba and engaged a local boatman to take us on a tour of the mangroves the following morning. Idyllic!

Continuing east we crossed back into Senegal, our easiest border crossing so far. Being this remote,  no one can be bothered to be corrupt and pestering, which was a joy… very unlike all the other border crossings in this region.

We arrived in Campment Wassadou further long the Gambia River. A stunning location over run with baboons, monkeys and on another river trip... hippos! Our next destination was the incredible forest waterfalls of Bassari Country, hard by the Guinea Conakry border (which, whilst slightly lost, we almost crossed by accident). After, by far our most extreme off-roading on the trip, we set up camp in the middle of a forest with the last wild chimpanzees in the area. The next morning, after our camp being riffled by mystery visitors in the night (baboons we think), we followed the course of the river on foot and arrived at a beautiful 35m waterfall.  A perfect opportunity to indulge in some adrenalin sports! After scaling a slagheap of a rock face, we made it to the top of the waterfall. Wet suited, helmeted and roped up we launched ourselves off for a thrilling abseil, finished with a plunge into the freezing pool below.

Everything great comes to an end (or so we thought) and we started the drive back to St Louis (over 1000km away!). The road back wound through the middle of Parc National Niokola Koba, a 9000 sq km parc in S.E Senegal. We had the fortune to pass through at sunset and were just settling in to the drive when a car on the other side began flashing its lights franticly… 3 lionesses walked along the road and into the bush. As we stopped in shock, one of the lionesses turned around just 5 meters from the car and gave us a long hard stare. Beni for once was extremely quiet.  Apparently there are only 40 lions in the whole park and therefore West Africa. We were extremely privileged to have seen them.

We were back to St Louis for Christmas and will be here for New Years eve in town tomorrow, which promises to have the streets filled with African beats and a grand fete atmosphere! 

 

Beach Batakunku, South of Banjul, Gambia.

Dinner one night and the Barra/ Banjul ferry in Gambia

Campment Wassadou

Carruthers relations?

The locals

Eggs au Savannah, near Segou

Carrithers moustache making a bid for freedom en route to the waterfall

 

Wetsuit by Channel! Carruthers attire by who knows!

At home in the forest

Lost near the Guinea Conkery border