Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa

January 2022 - April 2024

For my wonderful soul mate 🫂😘🥰😍 Read more

27footprints
3countries
-days
201photos
0videos
-kilometers

Follow Calendar Share Bucket list

Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 19, 2022, 8:00am
- ⛅ 1 °C
- Altitude: 43 m
- Germany Brandenburg Schönefeld Selchow Berlin Brandenburg Airport 52.36778, 13.5074552°22’4” N 13°30’27” E
From B to B to B
January 19, 2022 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C
We start punctually at 4.30 a.m. in GRH and are on the plane to Brussels on time. Departure in Brussels also on time.
The flight to Banjul is actually quite pleasant.
Upon arrival, a man is standing by the gangway with a note with our names on it. He wears work clothes and is sort of part of the airport staff and he greets us and explains that he is a relative of Seedy's who will be waiting for us in the lobby.
It takes quite a while to get through the controls, but while we're waiting we spot Seedy, or better he us. What joy we express with exuberant waving.
Then finally the moment when we fall into each other's arms. Long dreamed and now true.
Seedy helps us with the luggage and at customs we push our luggage through the machine. There is a little discussion about the cot, but then we are "free" without experiencing any of the horror stories told about customs in The Gambia.
The drive to the apartment is exciting because the streets are so busy and also because there seem to be no traffic rules. But Seedy drives safely through all this crowd and we arrive safely at the apartment. It is well furnished and we have enough space to live here completely relaxed for the next few days.
Binta has a lot of work in the kitchen, but then a delicious meal of fish, potatoes, vegetable onions and salad is on the table and we enjoy it very much.
It's getting late and we fall into bed tired and sleep better than the last nights at home. The area around the apartment is very quiet.Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 20, 2022, 12:00pm
- ☀️ 30 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- Gambia Western Division Batukunku Tujering River 13.31012, -16.7954613°18’36” N 16°47’44” W
Tanji
January 20, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Binta makes us a delicious breakfast with shrimp and onions and so we set out on our way to Tanji.
The fish market of Tanji is advertised in every travel guide and it is really impressive for us how many people stay there. The boats are very beautiful. Seedy explains to us that most of the boats are owned by Senegalese and unfortunately the Gambians' business is mostly just selling the fish.
Then we drive to the beach, which we almost have to ourselves and just enjoy being lazy. Jürgen even goes swimming in the Atlantic.
On the way back we eat at Ali Baby's and so Binta doesn't have to cook today.
We see Gambia's third game at AFCON 2022 on TV. It's 0-0 for a long time, just before the end the power goes out for a moment when it comes back the game is over and it's 1-0 for Gambia. Hooray!Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 21, 2022, 11:29am
- ☁️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 6 m
- Gambia Banjul Bakau Kachikally Museum and Crocodile Pool 13.47667, -16.6716713°28’36” N 16°40’18” W
Bakau - Kachykalli - Banjul
January 21, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
After a good breakfast we head to Banjul with a few stops.
First we visit the Independence Stadium where Seedy has already played football with his regional team. A few track and field athletes are training while we're there.
Continue to the Kachikally Crocodile Pool. There is a small museum where we see masquerades from different tribes, musical instruments and also some photos of the history of Gambia. Then we come to the crocodiles. A nice guy explains a lot to us and the most important thing seems to us that they are fed very well with fish every morning and then just lie around lazily. So we can be very brave and touch them. It feels kind of lifeless, but to prove they're alive, the guy shoos them up a bit, and sure enough - they're moving.
Continue to Banjul to Arch 22, from where we have a nice view over the small capital. There is a small exhibition about the sad story of the victims of the former dictator Jammeh, who tolerated no criticism and had countless people kidnapped and tortured, many of whom did not survive the ordeal.
Then we visit the Albert Market and are simply overwhelmed by the abundance and the narrow paths. In view of the abundance of the offer, it is hard to imagine that every dealer can do good business there.Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 22, 2022, 9:52am
- ☁️ 24 °C
- Altitude: 26 m
- Gambia Western Division Madina Sey Kunda 13.38167, -16.7033313°22’54” N 16°42’12” W
Sukuta Cuteberry Apartment
January 22, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C
It's not too warm and there's a light breeze.
Seedy and Binta make breakfast together and then we enjoy spaghetti, fish, onions, potatoes and eggs.
After that we make our way to the Monkey Park.
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 22, 2022, 12:30pm
- ⛅ 29 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- Gambia Western Division Amdalai Bijilo Forest Park 13.435, -16.7266713°26’6” N 16°43’36” W
Monkey Park
January 22, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Admission to the Monkey Park costs only a small amount of money. However a guide is recommended which is negotiable and after much talking the guy suggests 700D (11€). He is nice and explains a lot to us about the monkeys and the park. The monkeys are very trusting and a bit cheeky, but we have a lot of fun. I think it's especially fun for everyone when I have two monkeys on my shoulders and feed them. But it doesn't take long for them to get into a fight.
When it comes to paying, the guy says if we give 1000D then he could also buy rice for his family.?.?.?. Crazy world. 😉I end up obliging him, but I have a weird feeling about it.Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 22, 2022, 2:22pm
- ☀️ 32 °C
- Altitude: 18 m
- Gambia Banjul Serrekunda 13.44, -16.6816713°26’24” N 16°40’54” W
Serekunda Market
January 22, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
We have to exchange money and get about D30000 for our €500. That's a decent chunk of money, and we're glad Seedy is doing the counting.
Probably the "busiest place" in the world is the huge Serekunda Market. We visit the phone shop that Seedy used to run with two friends and we meet one of the friends there who is busy fixing phones.
Then into the hustle and bustle of the market. There is everything and I buy myself a shirt. With a lot of fanfare, the saleswoman wants me to buy several pieces, but we leave it at one and Seedy helps with the haggling. I still have to practice that.
Binta buys some things that she needs to continue to host us so well. When we come back she goes into the kitchen and has been busy there for a very long time. She refuses my support again. Then she serves us a delicious meat domoda with rice.
She is the perfect chef.😋Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 23, 2022, 9:00am
- ⛅ 23 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- Gambia Western Division Madina Sey Kunda 13.38249, -16.703113°22’57” N 16°42’11” W
Sanyang Beach
January 23, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C
For breakfast, Binta makes us delicious seafood with salad and bread.
Afterwards we head to Sanyang Beach and spend a relaxing day there. The water is warm and the waves are good and not too high. I'm trying to teach Seedy to swim and he's doing quite well. Hopefully we'll have more opportunities to practice this.
We eat a nice fruit platter with papaya, coconut, oranges and more. We actually wanted to watch wrestling, but unfortunately that's not happening at the moment.
So we make our way back and see the Kankurang on the way.Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 24, 2022, 2:18pm
- ⛅ 21 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- Gambia Western Division Madina Sey Kunda 13.38, -16.6933313°22’48” N 16°41’36” W
Lazy day
January 24, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Binta has to cook before we head to Yundum to Seedy's house. Cooking always takes a long time.
We start around 2 p.m. and the two show us their tiny domicile and we are happy that it is equipped with many things that I sent.
We also visit relatives in the neighborhood. There are many children in the compound and they all want to shake hands with us. This is so cute. Other children on the street, who must be seeing white people for the first time, get scared and start crying. Just as we know it vice versa.
Then we bring Binta to her sister who gave birth two days ago. We see the cute little boy. They live in an exceptionally well equipped house.
Then we drive back because today Gambia is playing Guinea at AFCON 2022 and we can't miss that. Luckily we have the tablet, because the TV only shows distorted pictures or "no signal".
WE WIN 0:1 !!! What a joy.Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 24, 2022, 7:00pm
- ☁️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- Gambia Western Division Madina Sey Kunda 13.3825, -16.7030713°22’57” N 16°42’11” W
Letzter Abend im Cuteberry - last night
January 24, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C
Before we leave the apartment tomorrow we need another car. The one we used before belongs to the apartment.
So we have to get money again and Jürgen is busy counting for a while.
It wasn't that easy, but in the end we get a Golf that's also used as a taxi. We're looking forward to tomorrow, because we're going to the upper country.Read more
0 likes
Traveler Gambia Smiling Coast of Africa
- Show trip
- Add to bucket listRemove from bucket list
- Share
- Jan 25, 2022, 1:25pm
- ☁️ 33 °C
- Altitude: 14 m
- Gambia Western Division Kafuta 13.19571, -16.4554413°11’45” N 16°27’20” W
Kafuta
January 25, 2022 in Gambia ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
We briefly visit Seedy's sister and have a lot of fun with the older lady, who introduces herself to me as Kani. She has such a hearty laugh and although we can't communicate verbally we have a lot of fun. ❤️Read more
0 likes