Gambia

Visiting Gambia in december 2022 #birds #monkeys #nature #beach #tourism https://medium.com/globetrotters/a-few-days-in-gambia-chilling-fe52e53f782d

Zayera Khan

12/30/20222 min read

https://medium.com/globetrotters/a-few-days-in-gambia-chilling-fe52e53f782d

Just arrived in Gambia, spend half the day traveling from Saly, Senegal to Banjul, Gambia. With shared taxis and the slowest border crossing with boat ever!

Thursday 22nd December
Ca 4 hours on the road to leave Senegal and tech the border of Gambia. Border crossing went well, and I did not scammed by anyone! #gambia #tourist

Friday 23rd December
Kachikally crocodile pool; the monkey park, where I saw these birds: Red- billed Firefinch, male & female Bronze mannekin Red-billed hornbill, Swallow-tailed bee-ater, African grey hornbill, Red-billed hornbills, Red-billed paradise flycatcher, Brown babbler, Black-cap babbler.
#monkeys #greentailmonkey #gambia#crocodiles #birds #monkeys #gambia

Saturday 24th December
Took a taxi from Bakau to Serrakunda as I wanted to see the market. Packed with people selling food items and any other thing one might need. Travelled to an eco lodge is in Gambia, ca 10 kilometers from the Senegalese border. I will be spending Xmas days and relaxing on the beach!
#gambia #xmas #ecolodge #vacation

Sunday 25th December
As mentioned in a previous post I did a long hike ca 18 kilometers on the beach and in the heat. When I came back to the eco lodge it was packed with Xmas celebrating guests both in the restaurant and on the beach. I find it difficult to relax in such hullabaloo, so I just cooked with it spending time at a distance. A cute young boy at the lodge kept me company for a while, showing me his Xmas gifts and we played a card game. Xmas dinner was a very small buffet made at the restaurant serving Gambian traditional dishes.
After dinner I tucked in and decided to leave the next day. Internet at this location was very unreliable and that also created some frustration.

Monday 26th December
Woke up in the middle of the night, too much food has that effect on me nowadays.
I decided to come back to Dakar, spending almost 12 hours on the road leaving the edge of Zambia (near Senegal border) to cross the slowest ferry every again, with long waiting time and craziest ticket purchase (pushing in all directions), waiting to embark for the ferry.
After the ferry, passing the immigration office for both Zambia and Senegal at Barra. First taxi, second taxi, third taxi the longest and slowest car ride in a 7-seater crappy car. At least I payed extra for the first seat, and arrived ca 7 hours later in Dakar. Then the final taxi to teach my friends home.
I literally only had breakfast in the morning and in the car rides only had water.

On the highway entering Dakar, I saw several road jams with multiple cars involved in accidents, with no human causalities. The traffic situation in Dakar is truly horrible on certain conjunctions and roads. Yesterday I took a decision to shorten my trip and return back to Sweden earlier, for several reasons.
This long adventure is slowly coming to an end. I flew back home from Dakar, Senegal on 29th december 2022.
#gambia #senegal #dakar #ontheroad