Mali

Are You Feeling Hot Hot Hot !

The 200km drive from Tambacounda in Senegal to the border took 4 hours and the strong hot winds were relentless. The closer to the border we got the hotter and dryer it became. Once at the Diaboli border crossing the formalities were fairly straightforward. The main thing to be aware of is that you must go to the gendarme office first, which is not near the immigration and customs offices. To get to the gendarme office you must go into town and down a dirt track for about one kilometre. After getting the necessary information registered we sauntered through both the Senegal and Mali border controls within an hour or so. Another thing to note is that Mali doesn’t accept the Carnet du Passage, which we were not forewarned about.

Our intended destination for the night was Kayes, which is reportedly the hottest place in Africa. The drive took us about an hour through a sparse savannah landscape with numerous Baobab trees. The town itself is on the River Niger and is the first place that the French settled in Mali. We stayed at Hotel Le Khasso which had been recommended to us. Kayes doesn’t seem to have much going on. I did notice a SGS testing laboratory which means that there must be some significant mining and exploration activity in the region.

We decided to go for a walk into town along the river where it would be cooler. We reached the main bridge and found a hive of activity beneath it along a dam structure. People were swimming, fishing, socialising and cleaning vehicles. All were there to escape the severe heat. We had been warned by Kim and Tanya, a German couple we had met at the Zebrabar, that it was very hot in Mali, but we didn’t expect it would be this hot. Even sitting in the shade doing nothing you sweat profusely and need to drink copious amounts of liquid to quench your thirst and prevent dehydration. Apparently, we were quite lucky as things had cooled down from the 50 degree heat the area had endured a couple of weeks before. We should be thankful for small mercies.

We left early the following morning to avoid as much of the heat as possible, heading eastwards on the 600 km journey to Bamako, the capital of Mali. Our reasons for going to Bamako were two fold; firstly, to enquire about visas for Ghana and Burkino Faso, and secondly, to pick up my sister Jane from the airport.

The road for the first 150 km was patchy in places, but after that it was fine and we made it to Bamako at 4.30pm. We had been told of a small campment on the south side of the river called Hermankono, so we decided to check it out. Bamako is awash with motor bikes and they appear from every direction, overtaking from both sides of the car. We crossed the new bridge (avoid the old one as it is very busy) and arrived at Hermankono. Seeing a swimming pool we decided to give it a go for a night. The place was a bit run down but was convenient for the airport and for access to the road to Segou, which was our next destination.

The following day we called our friend Raphael, a French teacher working in Bamako whom we had met at the Zebrabar in Senegal where he was holidaying with his lovely wife and children. Raphael, being the super friendly guy he is, told us of a nice small hotel called Tamana in the Hippodrome area of Bamako, which was nearer the music venues etc. To avoid driving in the manic Bamako traffic, we decided to take a taxi to check Hotel Tamana out and also the embassies. We took an instant liking to Hotel Tamana (which had a lovely swimming pool and WIFI) and decided to stay there the following day when Jane arrived.

We were informed by the Burkino Faso embassy that you can get 7 day transit visas on the border and by the Ghana embassy that you could get Ghana visas in Ouagadougou, Burkino Faso. This suited us fine, as we did not want to hang around Bamako any longer than we had to as it is a big sprawling busy dirty city. Not my cup of tea at all. All I hope is that the information given by the embassies is accurate. If it turns out not to be, then we would have to come back to Bamako for visas.....arghhhh.

One thing that is good about Bamako is the music scene. We were told that Toumani Diabate, the best Kora player in Bamako, sometimes plays at Le Diplomat so we decided to go there the following evening. Later that day we caught up with Raphael who took us to a few African style back street bars where the beers were really cheap.

The following evening we picked Jane up from the airport and moved into Hotel Tamana. During the day we were stopped by a policeman, the first time so far in Mali. He had no reason to stop us and asked for our driving licenses, insurance etc. He declared that the International Driving License we showed him was not valid. He was technically correct so we showed him our other license (the one that is not valid for Nigeria) and he admitted it was fine. He then declared that the back windows of Proper Job were too dark, saying that this was not allowed in Mali. After explaining that this was to keep the heat out I suggested we go to the police station to discuss it further with his boss. At this point he became friendly and welcomed us as tourist to Mali. It is worth remembering to stress the fact that you are a tourist, as many governments are actively encouraging it as an industry.

That evening we headed to Savanna Restaurant where a live band was playing (although not traditional music) and then went to Le Diplomat to experience some truly great live Mali music. Toumani Diabate was playing and lived up to his great reputation.

The following day we decided to visit the artisanal market and the fetish market and, if we had time, the National Museum. Both these markets were very interesting. At the artisanal market you could watch them make jewellery, djembe drums and an assortment of leather goods and carvings. One thing I wasn’t enamoured with was the numerous leopards, python and other banned skins that were for sale. When offered them I told the sellers that they were banned from everywhere in the world so were not worth anything. I hope anyone with a sense of decency would not even contemplate buying such things. This is surely the only way to stop this senseless trade.

The fetish market was another shameful sight, and its array of animal and bird parts fuels a strong ‘black magic’ belief that exists in Western Africa. The smell on a hot day becomes almost unbearable and so after a brief wonder around we headed back to the hotel, deciding to skip the National Museum in favour of a plunge into the swimming pool. Whilst hanging around the pool we were approached by Boubacary Ouologuem (better known as Kaou) who offered to be our guide in the Dogon country. I would highly recommend him to fellow travellers and he can be contacted on Kaou12@yahoo.fr or mobile/cell 00 223 79104290. Anyone that has been here knows that every man and his dog claims to be a Dogon guide so you need to be careful choosing the right one. After some discussion with Kaou, he turned out to have some important attributes; he was from Dogon country, what he told us matched with what we had gleaned from others, he had a great sense of humour, he was very experienced and he spoke excellent English. We decided he was the one for us, so we wrote up a contract, paid him a third of the trip cost up front and agreed to meet him in three days time 500km away in Bandiagara (the gateway to Dogon country)

Later that day, Raphael and his wife dropped into Hotel Tamana for a cold bottle of Castel Beer. We wished them all the best with their new posting to the exotic island of Mayotte (somewhere between Madagascar and Africa) and bid them a fond farewell. That evening we watched the Bayern v Inter final on the hotel television. Sorry Rene, when you read this, but Mourino is too smart a manager for his Bayern counterpart.....by the way did you make it yet to South Africa on your motorbike ?

The following day we left early to get out of Bamako and headed eastwards towards the riverside town of Segou, which is about 300kn away. The landscape became greener the further east we went as the rainy season had started early this year. We reached Segou after a 5 hour drive and decided to stay at Hotel l’Auberge, which is close to the river, has a lovely shaded garden and, more importantly, a swimming pool. We had pre-arranged to meet a guide called Ibrahim who would take us by boat to the old village of Segou called Segoukoro, which is approximately 10km downstream. As we left the river bank it started to rain lightly which was an utter pleasure. The visit to Segoukoro is well worth it and Ibrahim, who is known to his friends as Jigibombom, proved to have an excellent history background. He keenly retold the story of the English explorer Mungo Parks who was the first white person to reach the River Niger here at Segou. Mungo met his demise further down the river after his party were attacked by another tribe and they drowned in a set of rapids....or so the story goes. When we got back to Segou, Jigibombom decided to show us how to drum. I accompanied him but was soon told I was much too slow and a local boy grabbed the drum and the session kicked off. Soon a crowd of people gathered around and the dancing started, building to a beat that only happens in Africa. It was great fun, and when it finished we enjoyed a couple of cold beers in the hotel garden. We really enjoyed our time in Segou, but the following day it was time to continue eastwards again towards the famous mud city of Djenne.

The road to Djenne is scenic and you pass through some very picturesque villages constructed of mud. The further eastwards we get in Mali the prettier the landscape becomes. Now I understand why all the Africa travel blogs I have read are all about the east of the country ! To get to Djenne you have to cross a river on a small ferry. I say small, as it only fits three vehicles on at a time. Once across, it is a few kilometres to the city itself. Today was Monday, and it is market day in Djenne which is a major event with people coming from many kilometres away to buy and sell goods. We drove around the edge of the market to Hotel Mafir and met up with a Djoli, a local guide who was a friend of Jigibombom (from Segou). First we visited the market, which was an explosion of colour and activity. The ladies, from many different tribes, were dressed in an array of traditional dresses. It was also a photographer’s dream, with so many interesting aspects to observe. There were many sections to the market, each one having its own speciality. We snapped as many pictures as we could before heading back to the hotel for a mid afternoon rest, picking up some of the best mangoes we have eaten so far.

Later that afternoon, when the heat of the day had gone (relatively speaking) we went on a tour through the city. We first stopped at the tomb of a young girl called Tapana Diekepo who sacrificed herself to chase off the evil spirits so that the new city of Djenne could be built. Apparently, before her sacrifice all attempts to build structures in the present day city site were unsuccessful. On further questioning it became evident that the poor girl had tried to resist but had eventually been talked into being covered in a mud tomb by her parents for the good of all the people of Djenne. Today, she is fondly remembered......and so she should be.

The back streets of the city are fascinating and the myriad of dirt alleyways offer great photo opportunities, especially with the very friendly children that are always willing to oblige.

The mosque is also a great site and is the tallest mud structure in the world. There is currently another minaret being built and wood scaffolding has been erected to assist with the task. Djenne has so far been one of our favourite places and it truly deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status.

The following day we opted not to stop at Mopti for a day but to go straight to Bandiagara and prepare for our 60 kilometre 4 day trek into the northern region of Dogon country, better known as the Trois Yougas. We stayed at Hotel Falais which had been recommended by a number of travellers. It is a very comfortable place with a nice shady garden and is well maintained. They are even building a swimming pool, but alas it will be a few weeks before it is complete. We telephoned Boubacary, who we had hired in Bamako to be our guide, and we met later that afternoon to go through an itinerary of items to take on the trek. We were keen to not take too much gear as it was extremely hot and carrying any extra weight would be unwise. The plan was to set off at 8.30am to Sangha and head down the escarpment into the valley.

The drive to Sangha was along a rough dirt road and in the end took about 2 hours. Upon arrival, we hired a porter, loaded up with water and headed by foot down the escarpment to the first village called Banini where we had lunch and cold drinks (which were to become a rare luxury over the days to come). The landscape is barren and on the edge of the desert, hence very dry and very hot. That afternoon we moved on to Pe Ni village where we were to spend our first night. During this time of year everyone sleeps outside beneath the starry heavens. During this time of year though, it is never cool as a constant warm wind blows along the valley. The food is tasty but simple, but the heat means that you rarely build up an appetite. What you are always consuming a lot of is water, and there are numerous wells along the valley and many of the rest houses have bottled water. Lying under a starry sky listening to the sounds of a remote Dogon village is an experience that is getting harder and harder to find in this world.

The following morning we set off at 7am for the trek towards Youga Na, the first of the Trois Yougas which are reportedly three of the most spectacular villages in Dogon country. Early starts were to become the norm in order to get to your destination before it became too hot. Typically, we would walk for 3 or 4 hours before stopping for lunch in a village followed by a long siesta prior to heading off again at 3.30pm to a village we would spend the night at.

Youga Na is a gorgeous village perched half way up the escarpment, known as the Falais. The architecture of Dogon villages is unique and fabulous. The construction material is mainly mud, and the villages blend into the escarpment is such a way that you would hardly know they were there. Occasionally you see amazing structures high up in the escarpment which are the graves of the Tellom people, who were the first inhabitants of this region. What happened to these people nobody knows, but they clearly had no fear of heights as some of the sheer cliff faces they ascended to build these structures beggars belief.

On the way to Youga Na we climbed to see one of the most sacred places in the Dogon’s animist culture, the Hogan Arou. The animists have not converted to Islam or Christianity and follow ancient spiritual beliefs. Around animist villages you see fetish structures which are sacred to them....be warned don’t touch ! The Hogan himself can neither leave his abode and temple or be touched (even by his wife). By the way, if any one reading this is going to visit the Hogan Arou near Youga Na then you could take an ostrich egg as a gift as they are short of two for the temple. This would be very much appreciated by the Hogan and the entire Dogon animist.....who could be useful friends. There are four senior Hogans of which the Arou is the highest authority. Hogans are selected from certain families and are the spiritual and cultural leaders of the animists, and are important to the Dogon community as a whole.

We spent a wonderful evening at Youga Na, and the Hogan Arou must have liked us as a nice cool wind appeared which cooled the place down. That night was a full moon and the sky was full of swifts swirling around in the moonlight.

The following day we visited a local market, which was termed a ‘social market’. As usual with African markets, there was much activity and colour. We soon found out why it was called social as there was a lot of millet beer for sale and some of the locals had really got stuck into it. It was quite funny to watch and we ended up trying some. It was warm and tasted like flat cider....certainly could never replace a nice pint of Cornish Tribute.

The following day we ascended the Youga ‘island’ escarpment, visiting Youga Dogorou and then descended on the other side to Youga Piri. Both of these villages, which make up the remaining two villages of the Trois Youga’s, were stunning. We then walked for a couple of hours across a desert back to the main escarpment, where we would spend our final night at a village called Yenndouma.....where we were told a refrigerator existed. Upon arrival we found the refrigerator, but it was not on and it took until the next morning to cool the water. At least we would have cold water for the following days five hour hike along the escarpment back to Sangha. Not to be deterred, we headed down to the market, which happened to be on that day, and secured two dozen juicy mangoes. The afternoon we gorged ourselves on them and I am finally addicted to something......yes mangoes !!

That afternoon, and evening, we watched from the rooftop the ‘comings and goings’ of the village. Hordes of people and animals going to and from the market and the never ending stream of children filing up water containers at the local well. On these hot days the best job to have here is a water bucket filler-up-er as you always have time to splash about and cool down.

After another good night on the rooftop we departed the following morning along the Sangha market walk. Markets are an important part of the Dogon culture and each day of the week there is one. Today it was Sangha’s turn and there were many groups of brightly dressed ladies coming from directions carrying their goods to Sangha.

The Dogon are an interesting people, and their history and culture are much too intricate to attempt to cover in just a few paragraphs. What I will say is that they are a very isolated people who have chosen to be so in order to protect their rich culture. Their way of life is quite simple and living on the edge of a desert as they do is very tough.

There are not many tourists around during the hot season and we didn’t see another tourist during our whole trip. I guess this is because of the mid 40’s heat which from 11.00 to 15.30 makes it almost impossible to walk in. We felt sorry for Jane as she had arrived just three days earlier from a Cornish summer into this raging heat. She even had a nightmare where she had to deliver post to the fetish animist villages...ha ha.

Our time in Mali is at an end and we leave tomorrow for Burkino Faso, via Bankass and to the Koro border. We hope the temperature will be lower.....even if only by a few degrees. Inshalah.

Gambia

Don’t worry......be happy !

We had heard that the border crossing at Karang from Senegal into Gambia and the ferry across the River Gambia from Barra into Banjul could take a few hours. So with that in mind we were at the border post in good time, although the crossing was already busy with people.

On the Senegal side we found the gendarme, customs and immigration and were through within 45 minutes. We then exchanged our CFA’s into Gambian Dalasis and drove a further 100 metres where we found the Gambian border. It was nice to be able to communicate in English again and we found the officials friendly and helpful. Within 45 minutes we were also through the Gambian side and headed down the road to look for the Ferry ticket office, which is about 18km from the border, immediately after a customs check. There were a few stops on the way as per normal but we were not asked for anything. Having heard from others that the Gambians are bad for pestering travellers we were pleasantly surprised to find none of this. The guys at the Ferry ticket office were either Man Utd or Chelsea fans and we spent some time talking and joking about the prospects for the world cup and the upcoming Championship final. They printed the tickets and told me that they could not be paid for in Gambian Dalasis, which I found a bit strange. The tickets were printed in CFA’s, and I joked that the Gambians had told me on the border to change everything into Dalasis, so I didn’t have any left. They then agreed that I could pay in Dalasis, which I did and left the office. As we were leaving one of them ran out and told us that his brother, a Man Utd fan, would meet us at Barra village and help us get quickly onto the ferry.

We found consistently that it is always better to set a friendly tone as soon as possible, whether with ticket officials, police, customs or military. So far it has worked for us.

The drive to Barra was hassle free and when we got into the village we were approached by the brother and ushered through some gates and into the ferry queue. There were a few others trying to get into the act with helping us, but we managed to deter them and as soon as the next ferry off-loaded we were told to start the engine and jump the lorry queue to the front, along with a few other cars.

We pulled out of Barra and headed across the river. The journey took around 1 hour and on the way over I got chatting to an employee from the Parks and Wildlife Department. He offered to show us to the main road towards Serekunde, which was near Sukuta village and our intended destination, Sukuta Camping. I was please for his guidance as Banjul’s road system is a complete mess. The main road is superb and, once on it, we reached Serekunde in good time. When we approached we found roadworks meant we had to take a number of detours. We were also surprised that there were no signposts to Sukuta Camping. Surprised, because we had seen a few of them as far north as Morocco. After a few wrong turns we eventually found the campsite and pulled in at around 3.30pm. The campsite is run by a German couple – Joe and Claudia - who have been there for 10 years. The campsite was functional and had good internet connectivity. The camp lies between the very old Sukuta Village and the Banjoli beach area. It is also a few km from the tourist hotspot of Senegambia.

The following day, after giving proper Job a thorough clean, we decided to head to the Banjoli beach area and find a cold beer at La Pirogue bar, which was recommended by Sukuta Camp. The tourist season is at its low at this time of year so the beach was deserted, nice. La pirogue bar is owned by a Lebanese/Belgium couple and is very nicely laid out. It has lovely gardens and a great swimming pool. The staff are exceptionally friendly and we learned that this is where the expatriates in the area come to, avoiding the Senegambia tourist trap. We tried the local beer called JulBrew, and found it to be very good. Seems it has won a load of gold medals at various beer festivals. After a couple of these we headed back to camp, which takes about 40 minutes by foot.

That evening we went for a short walk along the dirt road and met a chap riding a bicycle that we had met the previous day on the beach. Anyone who has been to Gambia will know that the locals are extremely friendly. We asked him if he knew any real African bars, as we were keen to see these rather than the tourist bars. He took us into Sukuta village, and we observed village life at night. I was surprised to learn that Gambia is 80% Muslim, so there were not any bars in the village. We hopped into a taxi and after about a 10 minute drive we came to a dark compound which he assured us was an African bar. I asked why there were no lights on and suggested it was maybe closed. I was assured otherwise so in we went. The compound had a number of rooms, and indeed in one of these was a lady who had beer. She got seats out for us and we sat under the starry sky and enjoyed another JulBrew.

The following day, I caught up with family and friends via Skype and posted my Senegal journal on our blog. Back in Perranporth the second Ashanti Kids reunion was underway with 30 people attending from all over the UK. I was assured that the weather was good and the beers were flowing by the sound of it....I hope they all had a brilliant time. Let me know, when any of you read this update.

That evening we headed into Senegambia, having heard there was a great Lebanese restaurant there. The tourist area is small but packed with bars and restaurants....not really what we were looking for. After a while we gave up on the Lebanese restaurant and instead opted for a meal at La Paradiso. The food was really good and I doubt we will get a better pizza before we get to South Africa.

We planned to leave the following morning towards Tendaba, which is about half way along Gambia on the south side of the river. That day however happened to be Settal day. This is a day set aside during each month for road clean-up and no one is allowed on the roads anywhere in the country between 9am and 1pm. This delayed our departure but gave me more time to get on the internet and do some research on Mali and available ATM machines. At 1pm we left and the first 120 km of the road was new tarmac. We were stopped a few times by police but they only wanted to chat. The road deteriorated though, and our progress was rapidly slowed. It looked like it would take us the full 4 hours to get to Tendaba. The dirt road section was scenic and we travelled through many traditional villages. It was a very hot day and I joked with a military soldier at a checkpoint that he needed someone with a big banana leaf to keep him cool. He was sweating profusely in his combat gear. We laughed and on we went. We were on the main road so I was surprised to see a perfect tarmac road join it. I later found out that this was the way to the President’s village and residence. A few kilometres down the road there was another military checkpoint and again we were stopped. This time the soldier was not so friendly and asked a lot of questions and wanted to search the vehicle. No problem, although all the other vehicles seemed to be passing without a second glance. The rest of his troop were idly listening to the FA Cup final and didn’t seem interested. After showing him around and explaining what the equipment was for he asked if I had anything for dry skin. Luckily I had a bottle of moisturiser which was almost finished so I gave him that and told him to apply that to his skin. The discussion went on and on but eventually we were told we could leave. However, not before one more request for food for the rest of the troop. I told him I had given him the special cream (and he should not tell the others he had it) and a postcard of Perranporth. I emphasised that if I gave to everyone I would have nothing left for the long journey to South Africa. At last this seemed to do the trick and we were on our way, arriving at Tendaba Camp 15 minutes later. I must say though that this was not the norm for what we had experienced so far in Gambia.

Arriving at Tendaba Camp, we were met by staff who declared they knew Proper Job from previous English travellers. They told us that the couple had camped for the first night on the river front as there were no available rooms and then moved into a waterside cabin for a couple of nights. I am sure this was Will and Hannah....please confirm. The staff pass on their regards to you both anyway.

That evening I walked down to the village to find an eco guide called Burama that had been recommended to me. I was told to follow the track to the big cotton tree and turn right to where his home was. With no lights on the way I was assisted by a couple of woman filling up water containers and arranged for an eco tour through the bush the following day. Whilst in his compound another chap called Faye came by who had a boat and he could take us on a tour to the wetlands. He owns the only restaurant in Tendaba village called Bouywallow and does boat trips along the river as far as Georgetown to see the hippos and Chimpanzees. He is a really very funny guy and a great character and is dead keen on marketing his product. He serves excellent food and has a couple of cabins for hire at his waterfront restaurant. Both these people had been recommended to me by an English ex-rock-n-roller drummer that we had met at Sukuta.

The following morning we headed out on a 2 hour trek in the bush towards the airport. Well airport is a bit of an exaggeration as I don’t think any planes had been there for years. We found a Terminal 3. Somehow I don’t think 1 and 2 ever existed. From there we made our way to an area the locals called the garden. It was basically a mango plantation and had a lot of birds. Walking around we came across a baboon head on a stake. Further enquiries revealed it had been shot yesterday after attacking the guard who had failed to frighten off a troop of mango loving baboons.

Later that afternoon we went on a boat trip with the owner of Bouywallow Restaurant across the river and into the wetlands and mangroves. It was a relaxing way to spend a couple of hours.

The following morning it was time to exit Gambia and make our way to Mali. We decided to cross the border at Farrefeni as it is supposedly fairly hassle free. First we had to drive along 30km of rough road before meeting the tarmac Trans-Gambia Highway to Senegal, or so we were told.

Ummm....who said it was tarmac. It took us a lot longer than we expected as the road was red dirt all the way to, and past, the Senegal border for another 50km. I think Trans Gambia Highway is an over-statement, although it is a work in progress. Another thing to remember is that when taking any river crossing in Gambia the ferry ticket offices are never at the ferry itself. We were not warned of this, and had to back track a few kilometres to get them. Once at the border, the formalities on both sides were very quick. There was only one half hearted request from a Senegalese immigration official for 1000CFA. I told him it was not necessary and all payments had been made at the Customs Office. He shrugged and waved me through.

We entered Senegal and quickly remembered our French phrases for the gendarme check points. Once you get within 30km of Kaolack you reach the new road and from there it is a smooth 300km drive to Tambacounda, where we arrived at 6pm. The whole way the winds were very strong and very warm and there was much dust in the air. I suspected these winds were the fore-runners of the rainy season. We planned to stay overnight in Tambacounda before our final 200km push to the Mali border. We stocked up with more CFA’s and found a nice place to stay called Niji Hotel. The manager speaks excellent English and there is a swimming pool and WIFI.

Senegal

Ou La La !

We left Auberge Sahara at 9.30 am and headed southwards towards Senegal. The main road to Senegal goes through Nouakchot but is not easy to find as the route is different than that shown on Tracks4Africa. Other travellers had advised us not to go through the notorious Rosso border crossing but to take the road to Diamma, some 50km before Rosso, and cross there. The signpost to Diamma is not that obvious but some locals soon put us on the right track. The unpaved road is quite rough although there are roadworks underway so this route will improve soon. Once you reach the Senegal River the road improves as you head westwards towards Diamma. The drive is quite nice and we saw a large number of warthogs....so I guess there are not many predators in this area.

Approximately 15 km before the border a small national park fee is payable and there is also a bridge toll as you cross into Senegal. Going through the Diamma border was hassle free and took us under two hours to complete both sets of formalities - including a polite request from the Senegal customs to wait 45 minutes whilst they finished lunch. Once through we drove towards St Louis and were stopped by the police a few times for checks on car insurance, fire extinguishers, warning triangles, and for some general chit chat. We reached St Louis after about a one hour drive and stopped briefly to withdraw some cash from an ATM and then headed southwards towards Zebrabar. Mindful of the corrupt policeman just south of St Louis that we had been warned about by other travellers, we proceeded carefully. We were indeed stopped by him at the turn-off from the main road towards the Zebrabar, but to our surprise he didn’t ask for anything. We figured he must already have been fully loaded with cash from other cars earlier in the day. We later found out that he stops all drivers, not just foreigners, and the normal payment is 1000 CFA.

Zebrabar is run by a Swiss couple, Martin and Ursula, and they are a good source of information. The camp is set amongst trees and sand and is a short walk from a small village where vegetables and fresh bread are available. It is also very close to local fishermen who sell fantastic fresh fish and 'gambas' (which is like a giant prawn 25cm long). Our plan was to stay for 3 or 4 days then head south.

I struck up a good relationship with the accordion playing Martin and he offered to help sort out the driver window which had seized in a shut position. First we opened the door panel, removed the motor and stripped it down. The diagnosis was that the rotor brushes were worn out and needed replacing. Great, now to find the correct brushes. We went into town on Sunday to a spares shop and were given a set of brushes (not sure which vehicle they were for) which had been lying in the shop for years. The fact that they were not the right ones didn’t faze Martin who declared we would adapt them to make them fit Proper Job. He also showed me where a good air con specialist was.....yes the air conditioning failed yet again!

Back at camp we got stuck into the task of adapting the brushes and an hour later, after some hack sawing and sandpapering, we had a set of brushes that fit. However, Martin’s solder had packed up so we had to wait until the following morning to join some wires together. Once soldered, we put the motor together and refitted it. To our relief it worked, so I guess that was a good lesson in ‘bush mechanics’.

The following day we headed into St Louis to look around the old French colonial area and then had lunch at a local patisserie. The old town is nice but the hassle from the locals gets on your nerves after a while. We also found a Toyota garage run by an English speaking Senegalese. Great, so I booked up a service for the following day as we had now done almost 6000 km since leaving Cornwall. That evening we went to a live Djemba music concert with Rene, a German friend we had met in Nouakchot who was on his way to South Africa for the World Cup. Djemba is a traditional drumming and is very catching. Senegal has good music and I bought a couple of CD’s from a local music shop to play on our long journey ahead.

The following day we headed back into town for the service, giving Monika, a German lady who had been staying at Zebrabar for 5 weeks, a lift. I had also discovered that the car import certificate you are issued when crossing the border into Senegal (they dont accept Carnet du Passage here in Senegal) is only valid for 15 days, after which you must extend it by going to a Customs Office (found in the main towns only). There is one in St Louis so we had it extended. I was taken aback when the official personally made up the 300 CFA shortfall rather than chase down change for my larger notes. Must say, so far, I have been impressed with the Senegalese. On the way back to Zebrabar, we decided to visit the air con specialist to see if, for once and all, we could find a solution. The specialist, Babacar, is probably close to 65 and is an ex-professor at the local university. The time was 3pm when we met him and we were about to get a lesson on African time. Fortunately, there was an English speaking Senegalese man also at the garage and I was able to explain what we had already had done in Morocco and Mauritania. Babacar then proceeded by methodically looking through the system and instructing two young mechanics to carry out some tests. I decided to watch like a hawk as I didn’t want them causing any further problems. Every now and again Babacar would return and give them further instructions, just like a teacher to students. After some time, he decided there was a block in a valve and this had to be removed for testing. This meant removing the air compressor and although I was concerned with this, I was re-assured that they knew what they were doing. Anyway, to cut a long story short, they apparently did find a fault in the valve and cleaned it out then replaced the air compressor. By the time they had finished it was 9 pm.....six long and slow hours later. Poor Monika, she must have regretted coming into town with us. I found the whole ‘African process’ very frustrating and was way too wound up to leave Zebrabar the following morning to continue our journey south. Hence we decided to stay an extra day to chill out. Who knows if the air con has been finally fixed, but we were keen to give it one more shot before we go to Mali, where the temperature is currently hovering around 50 degrees.

Whilst at Zebrabar we met some interesting people, including a Norwegian who had travelled around Africa on his motor bike and a German couple, Kim and Tanya, who have been travelling around Africa for 3 years in a Toyota Landcruiser. I spent quite a few hours with Kim going over maps and routes and found him very helpful. I am sure we will benefit much from his advice and information. We also found out that he had met Will and Hannah, the previous owners of Proper Job, in the Congo.

Whilst at Zebrabar we were told about a small camp on the Petit Cote called Thiossane which is jointly owned and run by a French man and a Senegalese lady. The camp is close to the village of Mbodiene, 40km south of Mbour. We decided to give it a go, so the following day, after saying farewell to the folks at Zebrabar, we headed southwards for about 4 hours to the Petit Cote. There is a road in the town of Thies (just after the Shell garage) that cuts out having to go anywhere near Dakar, which suited us fine. Just before Mbour we were struck with the abundance of Baobab trees and I have never witnessed so many in all my African travels...there is literally a forest of them. We passed through and made our way to Mbodiene and followed the ‘tyre post signs’ to Thiossane. There is no camping here and consists of 6 or 7 cabins set on the dunes overlooking a lagoon and peninsula. The area is rich with bird life. We were also told that the food at the camp is excellent, and we were not to be disappointed. The camp co-owner Alicia and her staff prepared some very tasty Senegalese dishes......and the portions were large.

We took an instant liking to Thiossane, and the area, and recommend others come and visit. The peninsula and beaches are quiet and perfect for long walks followed by a cold beer in the evening watching the pelicans fly back from the ocean in large numbers. There is a lot to do along this coastline, including a few game parks and a baobab climbing park, which apparently is the only one of its kind in Africa.

During our 5 day stay at Thiossane we took day trips to Joal Fadiout (south of Mbodiene) and Bandia National Park (north of Mbour). Joal Fadiout is an interesting village which has merged over time to join the predominantly Christian Fadiout to the predominantly Muslim Joal. Fadiout is an island accessible by footbridge or boat and is literally built on shells. We took a boat to the cemetery and an old ‘granary’ where the villagers used to store food just in case storms wiped out their annual harvest. Here they built small huts on stilts surrounded by water so that vermin could not raid their stored food. Today, the local community has a project to restore the granary to its former state. The graveyard is also interesting as it has an area set aside for Christians and an area for Muslims. There is a special grave of an African American nun who traced her ancestry back to Senegal’s ‘island of shells’. She spent 30 years here in the local community and was buried in the cemetery of Fadiout. This village is also famous for its wrestling, and has boasted a long line of national champions. It is well worth visiting the shell island and wandering the narrow streets observing the local culture.

Bandia National park has a fair variety of animals, most of which have been imported from South Africa. The two prized animals are a pair of white rhinos and you can literally walk up to them and pat them. Having been to many other national parks in Southern Africa I would not particularly recommend this one, although the restaurant was in a great setting overlooking a water hole full of crocodiles.

Eventually we had to move on and we said our farewell to the French co-owner Alain, Alicia and her staff. We really enjoyed our stay and would like to return one day. Next destination was Simal, a small village in the Saloum delta along a sand track from the village of Fimela. To get to Fimela you take a dirt road from Joal Fadiout to Samba Dia. The route is sign posted and it takes about an hour to reach Fimela. Once you reach Fimela you turn left at the junction and take a small sandy track on the right hand side past a large mosque. Look out for a sign post saying Amoul Solo and follow that to a bridge. Go over the bridge and drive through Simal village to Camp Simal. You can also stay at Amoul Solo, which is run by a French lady who apparently is a superb chef. We opted however for Camp Simal as it offers fishing and horse riding included in the accommodation. The camp consists of a number of round traditional huts which are very comfortable. The staff are very pleasant and helpful and there is a great deal of bird and fish life in the area. We went fishing a couple of times with the local fisherman and caught a number of fish which were later on the menu!! It doesn’t get much fresher than that. During our three day stay there was a Muslim wedding in the village which we decided to visit. We were made very welcome and spent a couple of hours observing the traditions and manic dancing.

We then made our way southwards via Koalak to Toubacouta, stopping in Koalak to load up with cash from the available ATM’s. We have found on our travels that it is a good tactic as you generally only find ATM’s in the larger towns and cities. The road from Koalak to Toubacouta is very poor and it took us a couple of hours to cover the 60 or so kilometres. The scenery alters the further south you go and becomes progressively thicker bush and forest. Our intended destination was Sipo Island within the Saloum Delta Marine Reserve. Upon reaching Toubacouta we asked a local to guide us through the town to Keur Bamboung Eco Camp. Upon arrival we met Charles, the French manager, who arranged the 30 minute boat journey to the island. There is a small secure area for vehicles so we grabbed the gear we needed for the next three days and departed to Sipo Island and the Keur Bamboung Eco Camp. When w arrived on the island we were met by a horse and cart. Our luggage and camp stores were loaded onto the cart whilst you head off on foot for two kilometres along a sandy pathway to the camp. We were told it is advisable to book rooms here as accommodation is limited. However we were lucky that the high season had not yet arrived. The reserve was created in 2003 by a local Lebanese environmentalist who managed to get the mangrove delta protected from all fishing and hunting. According to the camp manager the project has been a great success with many fish species returning and the average size of the fish increasing. The mangroves provide a safe breeding ground for the fish and the success here has greatly benefited adjacent villages that rely on fishing. The camp offers hikes along the mangroves and surrounding forests and canoe trips into the mangroves. The area is also safe for swimming, although I did ask myself the question as to why the crocs in Aussie have adapted to estuarine waters and the crocs in Africa have not.....hmmmm food for thought.

After staying for three days we moved southwards again towards the Gambian border. We stopped at Bandiala Camp on the way for a day so we could prepare to hit the border during the morning. The camp is set in a fairly dense forest and is managed by Eric, a French man who has been running the camp for 20 years. The following morning we headed towards the border which is only about 20 kilometres away. We have heard various stories about the border, some saying how difficult a crossing it is and others saying how easy it is. We will have to see what awaits us !

We really enjoyed our time in Senegal having found great places to stay, great food and friendly people........ou la la !