While I was in the south I managed some serious time in the beach, and I also visited a reptile farm…. Scary…. And yesterday I made it to Serrakunda, which is the capital of The Gambia. I’m staying here for a few days before I go any further as I need a rest, and I also need to catch up with video editing. My biggest difficulties the past week has been finding power for my laptop as well as actually getting data, which I’ve now resolved by coming to Serrakunda. People have actually been sending me messages asking why no more videos…! Well, quite simply – power and data. End of story.
It was a short ride to Serrakunda, around 28 miles which took about 90 minutes. As you get into Serrakunda it gets very congested, a bit like Dakar, but the driving here is very polite and sedate in comparison. All the main roads are tarmac but as soon as you come off the main roads they are made of dirt and sand, and in many places the sand was quite soft so I had to fight the bike to keep it upright.
This morning I booked a small apartment via Air B&B but found it really hard to find the apartment. The caretaker had sent me a picture of a sign-post on a wall, which looked like a post-code. The main roads all have names, but when you come off the main roads into the suburban areas there are no street names but post-code numbers. I kept riding around the same few streets and eventually I stopped someone and showed him the picture and he pointed to a set of gates just a few metres away. I had passed it several times but never saw the sign because a tree branch was covering the name-plate…!
By that time I found the apartment I was sweating like Nicola Sturgeon’s speechwriter. I was hot, sweaty and starting to loose my patience and after banging on the gate a guy opened-up and showed me where the apartment was. After unloading my bike and getting all my luggage up the stairs he said I couldn’t leave my bike outside and would have to put it in the courtyard, which was down three large steps. With him holding the gates open I manoeuvred the bike down the steps, along a narrow alley and into the courtyard. Phew…!
The bike is now unloaded and safe behind closed gates – resting – and I’m just chilling-out and enjoying the colour and the sounds of the city around me. I’m going to be here for Christmas so I am just waiting for the shops to re-open before I go out and get some food, milk, water and some fruit.
Depending how I feel I may hit the road again on the 26th or 27th – it just depends how I feel. For everyone who knows me, for all my friends and enemies, and for all those who are following my journey – I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a wonderful 2024. Have a good’n…
