a sad goodbye and jarama to Neil and (p)Hadley

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Jones with (p)Hadley

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Jason Florio

Image: Jones – The Gambia – 2009

Janneh with Neil the donkey

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Mr Lee & Neil

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

our resident pin-up donkey looker after!

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Tea with the Alkalo’s:

all the villages that kindly permitted our raggle-taggle, road-weary team turn up, unannounced, and pitch our small camp every evening.

The age old tradition and protocol for approaching the Alkalo’s and asking something from them requires you to give them a ‘silafando’ (translates as ‘a present on behalf of my journey’) of kolla nuts.  Once accepted, you are warmly welcomed into the village and everyone knows that you are there as a guest of the Alkalo, which also means you are treated with respect as strangers in the village during your stay (if anyone were to disrespect that, then they would have the Alkalo to answer to and the shame on the family that goes with it!).

‘Alhaji’ where pre-fixed to names indicates that the Alkalo has made the haj  to Mecca

November 2009

November 2009 Monday 2^nd – Alkalo – Duta Fofana (and his son, Lamin), Pirangue

Tuesday 3^rd – Village Elder (on behalf of Alkalo), – Bachary Sanyang

Wednesday 4^th – Alkalo – Sirrifo Colley, Killy

Thursday 5^th – Alkalo – Malamin Bojang, Sanganjor

Friday 6^th – Alkalo – Landing Jammeh, Kalagi (Tamba Kunda)

Saturday 7^th – Alkalo – Sunkary Sanyang (female), Tendaba

Sunday 8^th – day off at Tendaba Camp

Monday 9^th – Alkalo  – Ala Sana Sanneh, Genier

Tuesday 10^th – Alkalo – Alhaji Kabiru, Jappineh

Wednesday 11^th – Alkalo – Jare Sowe, Falleng Koto

Thursday 12^th – Alkalo’s son – Jiki Bayai, Sotokoi

Friday 13^th – day off at The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust, Sambel Kunda

Saturday 14^th – day off at The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust, Sambel Kunda

Sunday 15^th – Alkalo – Lamin ‘Nyamo’ Ceesay, Brikama Ba

Monday 16^th – day off at Bird Safari Camp (thanks to Mark), Janjanbureh

Tuesday 17^th – day off at Bird Safari Camp, Janjanbureh

Wednesday 18^th – Alkalo – Kebba Kora, Bansang

Thursday 19^th – Alkalo – Bayo Drammeh, Bakadadgy

Friday 20^th – Alkalo – Fatou Dansou (female), Kabba Kamma (Basse)

Saturday 21^st – day off in Kabba Kamma (Basse)

Sunday 22^nd – Alkalo – Alhaji Mohammadou Tonkara, Sudou Wole

Monday 23^rd – Alkalo’s son – Chima May Gumaneh, Koina (half way point!)

Tuesday 24^th – Alkalo – Madinding Dabbo, Brifu

Wednesday 25^th – Alkalo – Ebrahima Touray, Chamoi Bunda

Thursday 26^th – Alkalo – Dadi Bah, Tuba Dabo

Friday 27^th – day off in Tuba Dabo with Mr Bah the Marabout

Saturday 28^th – Alkalo – Maduma Ceesay, Sami Surwa Kunda

Sunday 29^th – Alkalo – Kasum Sosuso, Demba Kali

Monday 30^th – Alkalo – Dam Sallah, Kerr Sait Maram

December 2009

December 2009 – Tuesday 1^st – Alkalo – Seedy Bensouda, Kuntaur (near Wassu stone circles)

Wednesday 2^nd – Alkalo – Samba Camera, Kerr Batch (stone circles)

Thursday 3^rd – Alkalo – Gibbi Cham, Chamen

Friday 4^th – Alkalo – Alhaji Abdou Touray, Balangar Bental

Saturday 5^th – Alkalo – Lamin Dibba, Farafenni

Sunday 6^th – day off in Farafenni (at Eddies Place)

Monday 7^th – Alkalo – Alhaji Karambah Minteh, Minteh Kunda

Tuesday 8^th – Haddi Panneh (female), Njawara

Wednesday 9^th – Alkalo – Masanneh Cham, Chamen Sosseh

Thursday 10^th –  Alkalo – Tako Taal (female), Juffureh/Albreda

Friday 11^th – Alkalo – Alhaji Kenbugul Fye, Barra

Saturday 12^th – HOME – Makasutu Culture Forest (thank you James English and Lawrence Williams!!)

Flo with the imam at Sanganjor

Image: Jones – The Gambia – 2009

Our Journey

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

the last leg!

(blown out!) image: Jones – The Gambia – 2009

A Short Walk Team - the last stretch!

Image; Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009