Safari Garden Hotel Fajara

... supportive, possibly in the quiet hope that the enthusiasm will eventually blow itself out. Gambians mostly don't celebrate the event of Christmas itself, but it is still a national holiday and many will use the opportunity to drop in on their bible-bashing friends. As I wasn't going to be in The Gambia for the big day itself, I wanted to organize an event beforehand that all my friends, Gambian and non could come to. This ...

... to draw anything, the students tend copy one or two other people, who may also just be copying a picture out of a book. During tests or on homework, coping is rampant in our experiences. And during other classes, students are often so busy finishing copying notes from the previous class that they won't even listen to the teacher. (but according to them, this is not a problem, as all the necessary information should be on the board, and they can just copy that from someone else who ...

... there. I hope we'll have time to go back once more, but time is really running low. In the end though, even if I never get to see Tungbun again, it makes me a little happier just knowing that a place like that exists, that such an enthusiastic, creative, eager man like Etu has been able to create such a remarkable reality in this small corner of a small country. Our group has had a lot of experience with the education system here in The Gambia. Though not a single one of us has any ...

... a student studying history and is soon to move to Dakar to continue his education. We chatted over beer about the world wars, their scale and effect on the population. Chicken noodle bread and gravy followed. Salt.. or maggi stock cubes are often used to enhance flavour. Lucky I don't mind my food salty! The campment called 'Motel Kent', was named in memory of his late wife and his time in Snodland, Kent. The lodgings were ...

... refer back to for right answers, and where even discussions of modern policy seem a bit like exercises out of a workbook), it was important context for understanding the current form of government... Gambia has a history of centralized rule; it was a province under a couple strong empires, including the Songhai empire. Vassals in the area were set up under the king to raise taxes and, if necessary, an army for the king. According to Jaiteh, the authority of the central government was ...

... and confusion and lack of communication with nurses, and the typical fear that you might simply be lost in the disorganized mess of sickness and inefficiency of West African health care. But we finally made it to what I gathered is the only doctor, who informed us nonchalantly that Bryan did in fact have malaria, and would have to stay in the hospital for the weekend for observation and to get the necessary shots. The room he was staying in didn't quite live up to its ...

... it like you do. It should be interesting to get to know some of them better. All in all, it was a good first week of classes...more beach trips, market trips, and exploring local bars and restaurants. Especially interesting was a trip to a local artist's house for tye-dying, which just happened to be a reconstructed African village. The entire place was a work of art, there is no other way to describe it. A mixture of traditional and modern art was everywhere, hanging from the trees ...

... used toothbrushes at the end of their holiday, and that it is too dangerous to venture out from the hotel in anything other than a pre-approved tourist taxi, or hotel-organized excursion? The next week was a blur of activity as I embraced my role as honorary tourist with gusto and together we tackled a number of Gambian highlights. These included a nighttime performance of traditional dancing and fire-breathing in a sacred forest, a cruise meandering ...

... is a termed used loosley, but it's a lovely guesthouse is set back from the road, down a dirt track, in a garden setting that overlooks the beach. Add to this the best steak sandwiches in the world and again, the Barra Ferry debarcle is forgotten. At 3 am we are woken by something large and gambolling about in the roof. In our slightly dehydrated, sleep-deprived state we envision it between the size of a rat and a monkey and hope it ...

... t have the all powerful travel agency arrangements to smooth our way. Instead we have the sweet, but rather downtrodden, Mister Kebbe as our driver. In the short time we have here, local taxis are not really an option. And given the propensity of these vehicles to break down, they aren't particularly enticing. We started bright and early, lining up at the ferry crossing at dawn.The infamous Barra Ferry ...