Birthday treats

My first birthday here in The Gambia was lovely!  I started the day with tea and grapefruit, and eagerly opened the package that I had waited so patiently to open!

I was good and didn't peek until Wednesday!

The contents were a great surprise from my best friend Alex – cooking spices, dried mushrooms, stock cubes, packet sauce mixes, tea bags and mini eggs. She knows me so well! Oh and a princess badge which I wore all evening! I can't wait to make up the cheese sauce mix - if I can find some cauliflower or broccoli I will be in heaven, although even with macaroni will be a huge treat!

I opened the mini eggs straight away and ate chocolate for breakfast, which made it feel like a proper birthday! 

I worked in the morning and then spent the afternoon at the beach with Helen. Seeing as so many people had told me to enjoy my birthday in the sun I thought I would do just that. And then up to Aso Rock for the evening to eat celebratory jollof rice. I was joined by Helen, Nicola, Abdou, Joe, Jaap and Janneke. I received some great gifts; nail polish and jewellery from Nicola, a lovely African weaved basket from Helen, and a bar of chocolate from Jaap and Janneke! Perfect presents!

Julbrew is currently 20dalasi at Aso Rock (40p) so we took advantage of this and drank our fill, moving inside for the last part of the evening to escape the cold wind. Although Joe - the newest of the group - pointed out that it really isn't cold at 23ish degrees and that we must have really acclimatised to claim that it was 'freezing'! 

A fun day and night, and a happy Gambian birthday.