Soto Koi Village - Addict in the house (thanks for the tents Dave!)
Thursday 12th November
We made 32km today and felt every last couple of them! But, it was an overcast day. So much easier to push ourselves a little further. We left the village we camped in, in the dark hours of the early morning, around 5.15am. It’s working out really well for us all and Neil and Paddy to get a couple of hours walking in before the sun comes up and with it, the dry hot heat that starts for the rest of the day around 8.30am. The donkeys move so quickly when its cooler.
At 5.30am, the first call to prayer of the day began. Specter-like figures begin to walk out of the darkness, some with torches, in their grand bubu’s (kaftans), heading toward the mosque. In the darkness, we almost trod on a small dead hyena on the road, its heart looked as if it had been ripped out. Whatever happened, the bared-teeth grimace on its little pointy face, tongue lolling out, told its own story of the pain it must have suffered.
We passed from the Lower River Division into the Central River Division today and it was like walking into Holland. No steep hills! Neil and Paddy (and us – as we now don’t have to push the cart up them!), we are sure, will be very happy. There is lots of water around and beautiful lily pads cover the surface of many of them. Hundreds of White egrets perched in the trees at one point on the side of the road.
We arrived at our next stop, Soto Koi, around 3pm. It has to be one of the dirtiest compounds that we have stayed in so far. The Gambians are extremely poor people but the majority of compounds (that we have stayed in and those we have passed on route) are swept clean of any rubbish, clothes washed and pristine clean (except for the kids who are, well, kids, mucking around in the dirt!). Their seems to be a great deal of pride when it comes to looking after their compounds, Also, nearly every village, however small, now has a water pump (pumpo geo) or at the very least, a well from which to draw water. However, even though Soto Koi had a well, the pride in their living environment was evidentally lacking. It was also only the second place where we did not feel completely at ease with the locals who surrounded our camping spot. The minute we settled in, people where coming up asking for things – the donkeys, soap, Ovaltine (?) and so on. Again, even though Gambians are very poor, on the whole, they seem to respect themselves enough not to beg. Janneh was perturbed enough by the over-interest of some of the older village boys in our gear that he spent the night sleeping outside, perched on a stool, leaning his back on a tree!
Why would they not be interested though? To them, it looks as if we have everything and compared to them, I guess we do. Its something Florio and I talk about often on the road and we try desperately not to flaunt our expensive gear. Not because we are afraid of having it stolen but more out of a sense of respect for these amazingly generous people who, outwardly, seem to have very little indeed but who will feed you their last bag of rice in one meal that would feed their family for a week.
I hope that last sentence does not come out in a patronizing or condescending way as that isn’t what I’m to convey.
Florio and I had the most public ‘bath’ so far in Soto Koi – although it was supposed to be private. The ‘bathrooms’ in most compounds are made up of a combination of assorted corrugated rusty sheets, odd bits of wood and often scrappy remnants of old fabric to act as some kind of door. Some are extremely clean (i.e. the ground is swept and tidy).There is never a roof. In the centre of these bathing areas, there will usually be a hole in the ground (sometimes covered but more often not, and beside it, a small flat piece of ground, sometimes with a raised platform, made of wood or concrete, that you stand and wash on from a bucket of cold water (the most refreshing feeling in the world after 7-8 hours walking on hot dusty roads!). We have learnt not to shine our torches on the ground if bathing in the dark as you often see that you are sharing you bath with all manner of crawling creatures and that’s not including the flying variety – of which there are many!
Anyway, back to our most public bath. Lets just say that there are often lots of holes in the structure’s of the ‘walls’ of the bathing areas and the local kids are very keen to see what is under the ‘toubabo’s’ clothes! Also, this particular bathroom in Soto Koi seemed to have holes holding the corrugated iron together, barely shoulder height and it was right on the main road! Its not the first time, we have looked around to see young (and not so young!) curious eyes peering in as we bathe and sure it won’t be the last!
Domada
Peanut sauce – gratis (from a neighbouring compound)
Rice x 4 cups – D14 (Dalasi)
Smoked fish x 2 pieces – D5
Onions x 2 – D3
Tomato Puree x 1 small tin – D4
Total – D26 for 5 people (around 55p)
Taste factor: Adi atalay (delicious!)
More soon…….
A Short Walk Update
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If you would like to help the ‘Short Walk In The Gambian Bush’ expedition members get more Gardens for Life up and running for Gambian school kids, then please visit our Just Giving page and see how even a small donation can make a big difference to these kids.
Image: Jones 2009
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