On Wednesday Paul met up with Alpha from the village of Kenuma, he is helping them to get some of the local tour company’s to visit the village compound to experience the dancing and maybe buy some batiks. Unfortunately when they called at one of the tour company’s they were told everyone was at a big meeting in Senegambia preparing for the Kanili Roots International Festival which is held bi yearly. This will mean another visit to the kombo and tour guides for Alpha. On the evening Paul produced some clothing which Alpha had made for us, myself a dress, Abigail a top, Paul and Bradley a shirt and trouser set. They were produced from batik prints and were very unique. Paul and Bradley look like a couple of red Indians in their sets also Bradley’s trousers will require some alterations however the rest were a perfect fit so overall we were very pleased with them.
On Wednesday Abigail and Bradley broke up for the term holidays, they will be off for a week however Dianna Mariam school is only closed on Thursday and Friday so I have agreed to go in all day Monday with the children and just help out in the English lessons on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Thursday we made a trip to kariba to get our weekly shopping we decided to walk there and back for the exercise. We have noticed a change in the weather this week, very hot and sticky evenings as we enter the hot, humid and rainy season. When we arrived home we were all in need of a drink and very sweaty. We decided to spend the afternoon at Safari Garden and welcomed the coolness of the pool however the temperature did feel much warmer than usual. Abigail and Bradley enjoyed playing with a couple of Gambian girls in the pool learning some of their pool games.
Today Paul left the house early at 6 o’clock to meet James and Felix. They are walking the final section of the coastline from the border of Senegal on the north bank to Denton Bridge were they started their last walk back in April. They managed to get the first ferry across to Barra and found a jeep which was going to Jinack Island. The jeep already had four ladies waiting so including themselves this meant seven passengers. The jeep was very much like the eight seater we had took to Nikola Koba game reserve so they thought one more and we will be off. They watched as another jeep going to Jinack left wishing they had jumped onto that one instead. Then another couple of people got onto their jeep, finally with twelve people seated and two stood on the rear bumper it looked as if they would be leaving. The driver then started to connect wires under the steering wheel, thinking things couldn’t get any worse he then got out and went to the front with a crank handle and turned it, the jeep started. They watched as he slowly sauntered back to the jeep thinking give it some revs, give it some revs. The jeep died so he had to try again with no luck. The jeep was then pushed down the road fully loaded a number of times before the driver finally asked everyone to get out. They then watched as another vehicle pulled it along the road. The jeep started so once all on board they were back on track. On arriving at Jinack the driver then asked them for double the fare saying it was standard because they were white toubobs. No wonder the tourist industry is suffering when the white man is getting ripped off like this talk about racism. Luckily the boat trip across to the island this time was free as Saddy was in the boat. Saddy was one of the waiters from the resort where we had stayed back in January. Once across Saddy and a couple of others took them along the bolong to the mouth of the river and the starting border of Senegal. They then accompanied them so far on their walk before turning off to head back to the village. They reached Barra by about 2 o’clock and had just missed a ferry so they had time for a quick beer. Once across on the ferry Paul and James continued on along the coast however Felix jumped in a taxi for home with blistered feet. They reached Denton Bridge by 5 o’clock and were back home just before 7 o’clock, Paul this time was also suffering with blisters.
As for myself Abigail and Bradley we spent the day with Cathy shopping at Brikama. We had hoped to meet up with Amy so she could take us to her tailors however she had already made plans to meet Emily in the Kombo. We were on a gelleh before 10 o’clock, the ride was slow with lots of stops to let people on and off. Once at Brikama we made our way to the market to buy some material to have some clothes made. I wanted material for a skirt and dress and Abigail also wanted a dress making. After lots of looking in and out of shops with very much the same material I thought we were going to be going home without any luck. Then in two shops a couple of doors from each other we all found what we were looking for. Abigail’s material is a nice deep pink and white flower pattern. I picked a brown and turquoise material for a skirt as well as an aqua green print for a dress. We also bought some jewellery at a good price. We were back home before 3 o’clock very hot and sticky but we had had a successful day out, we now just need to get them made.
On Wednesday Abigail and Bradley broke up for the term holidays, they will be off for a week however Dianna Mariam school is only closed on Thursday and Friday so I have agreed to go in all day Monday with the children and just help out in the English lessons on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Thursday we made a trip to kariba to get our weekly shopping we decided to walk there and back for the exercise. We have noticed a change in the weather this week, very hot and sticky evenings as we enter the hot, humid and rainy season. When we arrived home we were all in need of a drink and very sweaty. We decided to spend the afternoon at Safari Garden and welcomed the coolness of the pool however the temperature did feel much warmer than usual. Abigail and Bradley enjoyed playing with a couple of Gambian girls in the pool learning some of their pool games.
Today Paul left the house early at 6 o’clock to meet James and Felix. They are walking the final section of the coastline from the border of Senegal on the north bank to Denton Bridge were they started their last walk back in April. They managed to get the first ferry across to Barra and found a jeep which was going to Jinack Island. The jeep already had four ladies waiting so including themselves this meant seven passengers. The jeep was very much like the eight seater we had took to Nikola Koba game reserve so they thought one more and we will be off. They watched as another jeep going to Jinack left wishing they had jumped onto that one instead. Then another couple of people got onto their jeep, finally with twelve people seated and two stood on the rear bumper it looked as if they would be leaving. The driver then started to connect wires under the steering wheel, thinking things couldn’t get any worse he then got out and went to the front with a crank handle and turned it, the jeep started. They watched as he slowly sauntered back to the jeep thinking give it some revs, give it some revs. The jeep died so he had to try again with no luck. The jeep was then pushed down the road fully loaded a number of times before the driver finally asked everyone to get out. They then watched as another vehicle pulled it along the road. The jeep started so once all on board they were back on track. On arriving at Jinack the driver then asked them for double the fare saying it was standard because they were white toubobs. No wonder the tourist industry is suffering when the white man is getting ripped off like this talk about racism. Luckily the boat trip across to the island this time was free as Saddy was in the boat. Saddy was one of the waiters from the resort where we had stayed back in January. Once across Saddy and a couple of others took them along the bolong to the mouth of the river and the starting border of Senegal. They then accompanied them so far on their walk before turning off to head back to the village. They reached Barra by about 2 o’clock and had just missed a ferry so they had time for a quick beer. Once across on the ferry Paul and James continued on along the coast however Felix jumped in a taxi for home with blistered feet. They reached Denton Bridge by 5 o’clock and were back home just before 7 o’clock, Paul this time was also suffering with blisters.
As for myself Abigail and Bradley we spent the day with Cathy shopping at Brikama. We had hoped to meet up with Amy so she could take us to her tailors however she had already made plans to meet Emily in the Kombo. We were on a gelleh before 10 o’clock, the ride was slow with lots of stops to let people on and off. Once at Brikama we made our way to the market to buy some material to have some clothes made. I wanted material for a skirt and dress and Abigail also wanted a dress making. After lots of looking in and out of shops with very much the same material I thought we were going to be going home without any luck. Then in two shops a couple of doors from each other we all found what we were looking for. Abigail’s material is a nice deep pink and white flower pattern. I picked a brown and turquoise material for a skirt as well as an aqua green print for a dress. We also bought some jewellery at a good price. We were back home before 3 o’clock very hot and sticky but we had had a successful day out, we now just need to get them made.
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