Around the World in 128 Days - Banjul, The Gambia - Jungle and Canoe Adventure

 

Travel Day 119 - May 1, 2024 - 10,602 Steps

We thought it was a foggy morning until we learned that it was the fine dust blowing off the Sahara Desert. Normally the haze occurs between November and March, but is lasting longer this year.

The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa and also one of the poorer countries, at least by the way it is traditionally measured. However, poor is a relative term and from what we saw the people did not act like they were poor.

Typical of what we saw during the 90 minute bus ride to the day's destination.

Yes, there were carts pulled by donkeys, but they a very tiny fraction compared to the cars and buses. They do, however make for interesting photos.

It is a country of small shops.

Section the highway with fruit stands.

Bags of charcoal, a fuel used for cooking.

As with many other countries the vast majority of trash we saw was plastics. Sadly there are so many poor countries that become the trash heaps of the multi-national chemical companies, companies that could care in the least they are turning our world into scenes like this so they cam make more profits.

Trash along road out in the country.

Only 20% of the roads in the The Gambia are paved. And what isn't paved isn't smooth.

One fruit, one cashew nut, meaning the annual world harvest is approximately 500,000,000 nuts. No wonder they are so expensive.

Our excursion destination for the day.

Music is so much a part of the culture of these countries.

Baobab tree.

Cat lover Linda.

Baboon with baby, a common sight around the park.

Story of my life when it comes to taking that great photo.

They were everywhere.

Bird in a palm tree.

Next it was time for a canoe ride. I thought Linda did a great job of getting into and out the canoe.

That dangling camera didn't make it any easier.

Bird on a sand bar.

Oysters on mangrove roots.

Bird at the moment of liftoff.

Bird drying its feathers.

A different bird on a sandbar.

Boys looking for something in the shallow water.

Dwelling place of tiny creatures.

Not the first time we've see how they climb palm trees.

Lovely lady drinking fresh palm juice. Very sweet, and very good. That goes for both the juice and the lady.

A, not sure what it was, snack on the bus.

Traditional Gambian foods for lunch.

Buffet line in action.

You know it is a Moslem country when you see billboards like this.

Any bit of shade will do.

The haze is easy to see from the ship. During our outing, everything everywhere was covered with a coating of dust.

Not as hazy as it was in the morning.

An hour of a person shouting does not make a person a comedian, which was what he was supposed to be. Worst performer ever during the tour. What's sad is that his afternoon lectures on RV around Africa were actually entertaining.