November 2007

Last Updated:  22/12/07

 

November...Gambia!!  Sunshine at last!  (Although admittedly we did get some in Jersey...). 

 

The weather has been so miserable in the UK this year, and we've both been rather pre-occupied with work, so it was time to take a break and head to Africa.  We tried to balance our time between sitting by the pool and reading (yup, finished the Count of Monte Cristo and another two books), and exploring!

We stayed at the rather smart Ngala Lodge (no kids under 16... can you guess why we picked it??!)... very nice!

The icy drive to Bristol airport... brrrr Even more miserable: on our return, the car was iced up inside and out!
Clockwise from top left: Me on 'our' porch; relaxing with a beer; looking out to sea; tucked away in the shade by the pool; getting ready for an evening out (with some palm schnapps)
Clockwise from top left: Tom reads the info about the hotel from the living room of our suite; having a lie-in; relaxing in the shade; reading a book; drinking the local beer
	Tom and I by the beach near the hotel
In 'expedition' mode!
	Vulture
Loading onto the fully air-conditioned bus
	A village well
One of the schools we visited:
The other school we visited
	Tom was very disappointed to learn that the "Birds and Breakfast" trip didn't involve scantily clad women serving him bacon and eggs... (Sunrise over the Gambian jungle)
Yup...we passed rather too close to this black cobra for my liking!
	In a dug-out in the jungle, having just seen the above-mentioned snake.  That is not a genuine smile (in case you hadn't guessed) - I am assessing my options for escape!
One of the many beautiful birds we saw on the trip (this one is a kingfisher)
	Apparently this is as squirrel...
A horn-billed something-or-other (Ok, ok, so I'm terrible at ornithology.  I did like the long-tailed blue starlings, though.)
	Sunrise over the mangroves
Breakfast waiting for us...?
	A monkey up a tree
Market scenes
Heading along the beach
	(Yes, it was hot!!)
Cycling on the beach!
	Tom, waiting for lunch
At a reconstructed 200 year old village (made of concrete and corrugated iron...) I know immediately which direction to head in!!
	One of the best Lebanese meals we've ever had!
The Brewery       (Think he might be able to get a job advertising this stuff...)
Crocs-a-go-go
	Traditionally (and apparently this still happens), women will bathe in the crocodile pools to help increase their fertility...
There were indeed quite a few crocodiles plodding around and dozing in the sun
	Some of them were more dozy than others, but I can guarantee these are real crocodiles, and very much alive (and not behind fences...)
Of course, no-one would be stupid enough to sit astride a real-live-croc and tickle its foot. Ahem.    (This is Charlie-the-tourist-friendly crocodile!)
Like I said, very much real...live...and quite big...
Collecting palm schnapps
	Final evening (more beer)
Last African sunset (for now)