Time to explore

Yesterday morning we were met by current volunteers and taken to explore the local area. We walked up Kairaba Avenue and I saw where my office will be. We then called into La Parisienne for a coke and a chat, and to cool off in the air conditioning. When we came out we realised that the sky had gone black, and it wasn’t long before the heavens opened and it was thundering and lightening. We took a seven seven up to the area called Westfield, stood under a porch, checked where the gellis go to Banjul from, and then jumped back in a seven seven to get back to the hotel! Seven sevens are yellow taxis with green stripes that serve fixed routes; you pay 7 dalasi for wherever you want to go (about 14p). The gelli is a minivan type taxi which costs about 10 dalasi to get to Banjul from either Bakau or Westfield.

Once back we sheltered from the rain and read the information pack that we were given, before getting ready to go out to our welcome drinks at The Kairaba Hotel in Senegambia. This was described as a cocktail party… and although there was a distinct lack of cocktails or alcohol of any kind it was still nice to meet everyone! 

The newbies with a couple of VSO staff members and their children

We watched the sunset over the sea, which was fantastic as it was my first glimpse of the ocean.

After the official party Helen and I went for a beer with the established volunteers – it was nice to get out of the ‘bubble’ of Safari Gardens and speak to people that have been here for a while, and I really enjoyed the evening.

Shortly after we got back to the hotel Nicola arrived – another volunteer from the UK who unfortunately missed Thursday’s flight out here. We had a good chat with her over a couple of beers, and gave her a summary of what we’d discovered about The Gambia so far.

Today we went to the beach that’s near the hotel and had a swim in the sea. It is like bath water, which I really wasn’t expecting from the Atlantic ocean! Lunch at Leybato was fish benechin for 75 dalasi (about £1.50) which was delicious, and then back to Safari Gardens to chill a bit more!

Language lessons start tomorrow which I am really looking forward to – I have discovered I will be learning Wolof, so we’ll see how that goes!