Weekend at Sandele

We are looking forward to this weekend as we have been invited to Sandele Eco Retreat with the rest of the gang as a twin birthday celebration for Emma and Geri. Sandele of which the first phase opened in 2007 is close to the Senegal border and the village of Kartong, it is the dream of Geri and Maurice in conjunction with the local community to create an Eco Hotel with material sourced from the near area, bricks made by compressing mud and shells to help bond the cement, a wind turbine for the electricity, solar panels and the famous composting toilets to name just a few. The employees are all from the village of Kartong and after twenty five years the community will assume complete ownership.

Link:

http://www.sandele.com/

After an early breakfast I set about making sandwiches for a picnic and getting ready the clothes and beach bag items, packing them in a small holdall whilst Paul went to buy a bottle of wine for Geri and some snacks to take along with the picnic food. With everything packed in the boot of the car we gave Emily a quick call to say we were on our way as she was travelling down with us. Just as we set off Felix phoned asking us to take some crates of pop and beer so we made a quick detour to Safari Garden all loaded up we finally picked up the coast road towards Kartong. We were soon at the fishing village of Tanji and could smell the smoke houses where they smoke bongo fish the finished result is similar to kippers. As we were nearing Sanyang a car drove along side of us and piped his horn it was Ebrima, we waved and continued on passing the village of Gunjur.

Reptile Reserve

We had decided to visit the reptile reserve first and it is just before Sandele as we were not expected until around 4.00pm. We found the sign for the reserve and drove a short way down a bumpy sandy road parking up at what looked like the entrance. We were greeted by the guide and after a quick drink and sorting out snacks for the kids we were taken into the reserve and introduced to the reptiles on display which are native to The Gambia. The reserve was a bit run down and the reptiles were enclosed by cement walls with a flimsy piece of wire cage which was lifted off so the guide could reach in and pick up the reptiles or as in the case of the pythons they
were behind glass awaiting the completion of their larger enclosure. On display were a large variety of snakes some of which were poisonous such as the deadly puff adder, crocodiles, terrapins, turtles, lizards, skinks, geckos, millipedes and scorpions. The guide was very informative allowing us to hold some of the less dangerous reptiles. Bradley was much braver than Abigail and was willing to touch some of the snakes, however didn’t like the idea of a small python draped around his neck

Monitor Lizard

Soft Shell Terrapin

Baby Terrapin

Puff Adder

Scorpions

Powerfull Sting

Centipede

Python

Sandele Eco Retreat

After a couple of hours we left the reserve for Sandele, arriving early we greeted Geri wishing her a happy birthday we unloaded the car then headed for the beach to meet up with Amy who had phoned earlier. The walk to the beach was through the hotel grounds passing the circular lodges nestling between the trees. Sandel bay came into view fringed with palm trees and the odd thatched roof shack and was completely deserted so we won’t be getting bothered by any bumsters today. We said a quick hello to Amy and changed into our costumes as the sea looked very inviting and we were desperate to cool off, however as usual the water was too warm. Abigail and Bradley sat eating a sandwich and helped Amy put some finishing touches to her birthday sand art by decorating it with shells and cuttle fish bones. With all the other volunteers arriving we spent the afternoon in and out of the sea cooling off or sunbathing. It was unusual to have a herd of cows appear over the sand dunes and continue to mill around at the waters edge staying there most of the afternoon before passing us and heading on further up the beach and out of sight.

Sandel Bay

Birthday Sand Art

Holy Cow

Hotel Grounds

We headed off back up to the hotel, where Geri gave us a guided tour of the hotel grounds finally finishing off at the beautiful domed circular lodges. They were very impressive consisting of an outside shower to remove sand, entrance hall with table, circular bedroom with queen size bed and frame draped with the mosquito net. There were arches of this room draped with curtains into a small area with table, chairs, and lounger, leading outside to a plunge pool and sun lounge area. Through another arch a circular corridor leads you to an area for your clothes, large shower/bathroom and not forgetting the composting toilet which when used you put a couple of cups of wood shavings in to help with the composting process.

Brickmaking Shed

Carpenters Shed

Unfinished Guest Rooms

Lodges

Composting Toilet