Feeling Banjulled?
Trip Start
Jul 06, 2008
1
3
Trip End
Sep 09, 2008
Banjul,
Gambia
Saturday, August 23, 2008
In a break from the norm we give you a comparison between: (i) Mr and Mrs R in West Africa, 2008(ii) Mr and Mrs R in West Africa, 2002(iii) The usual Mr and Mrs R world, 1997-2008.
Music (i) Westlife, 50 Cent, Theme tune to BBC World Service's 'Focus On Africa'(ii) Celine Dion, Phil Collins, Theme tune to BBC World Servie's 'Focus On Africa'(iii) Dirty Three, Will Oldham, Theme tune to BBC Radio 4's 'The Archers' [the theme tune to 'Focus on Africa doesn't sound any sweeter 6 years later, but Mr R has been glad to get away from the Archer's for a while, he can tell you]
Food (i) Fish and rice, more fish and rice, egg & bread & lashings of mayonnaise(ii) Fish and rice, more fish and rice, egg & bread (sans mayo, which was non-existant)(iii) Occasionally fish, occasionally rice, quite often mayonnaise
Who's your favourite premiership English football team (i) Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd(ii) Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal(iii) Premiership-shlemiership
Slashing the cash - average nightly accommodation cost (i) 9 quid(ii) 6 quid [price increase is not solely due to Mr R's increased need for luxury. It is linked to the relaive strength of the Euro now compared to then (many of the countires we have been travelling to have their currencies linked ot the Euro). Mr R blames the French. Again].
Most common question asked of Mr and Mrs R (i) Can I have your mobile 'phone number?(ii) Can I have your address?(iii) Can I buy you a drink? (we wish)
Drinks (i) Cold fizzy beer(ii) Cold fizzy beer(iii) Warm flat beer
Average % of Mr R that comfortably fits in public transport (i) 0.4(ii) 0.66*(iii) 1.4 * Please note: average cubic capacity of Mr R has not significantly changed between (i) and (ii) (he wishes).
Precipiation - amount of rain (i) Too much(ii) Plenty(iii) Enough
So that's that. Any more questions? We fly home today. We have spent the last week in The Gambia getting over some monumental ass-ache, and for Mrs R some preparation for her impending viva. Ahhh, The Gambia - Paved roads! Vehicles that depart shortly after arriving at the bus park! One seat is (approximately) one backside! Luxuries beyond our wildest imagination! (but give us Sierra Leone any time).
Until the next one,
G-L-O-R-I-A and her Master of the Universe.
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"If you don't like anarchists, you can f*ck off!"
Graffiti (in English) in non-English-speaking Bissau,
July 2008
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