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

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

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Jones with (p)Hadley

Jones with (p)Hadley

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Jason Florio

Jason Florio

Image: Jones – The Gambia – 2009

Janneh with Neil

Janneh with Neil the donkey

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

Mr Lee & Neil

Mr Lee & Neil

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009

our resident pin-up donkey looker after!

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 2nd – Alkalo – Duta Fofana (and his son, Lamin), Pirangue

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

Wednesday 4th – Alkalo – Sirrifo Colley, Killy

Thursday 5th – Alkalo – Malamin Bojang, Sanganjor

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

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

Sunday 8th – day off at Tendaba Camp

Monday 9th – Alkalo  – Ala Sana Sanneh, Genier

Tuesday 10th – Alkalo – Alhaji Kabiru, Jappineh

Wednesday 11th – Alkalo – Jare Sowe, Falleng Koto

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday 18th – Alkalo – Kebba Kora, Bansang

Thursday 19th – Alkalo – Bayo Drammeh, Bakadadgy

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

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

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

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

Tuesday 24th – Alkalo – Madinding Dabbo, Brifu

Wednesday 25th – Alkalo – Ebrahima Touray, Chamoi Bunda

Thursday 26th – Alkalo – Dadi Bah, Tuba Dabo

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

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

Sunday 29th – Alkalo – Kasum Sosuso, Demba Kali

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

December 2009

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

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

Thursday 3rd – Alkalo – Gibbi Cham, Chamen

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

Saturday 5th – Alkalo – Lamin Dibba, Farafenni

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

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

Tuesday 8th – Haddi Panneh (female), Njawara

Wednesday 9th – Alkalo – Masanneh Cham, Chamen Sosseh

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

Friday 11th – Alkalo – Alhaji Kenbugul Fye, Barra

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

Flo with the imam at Sanganjor

Flo with the imam at Sanganjor

Image: Jones – The Gambia – 2009

Our Journey

Our Journey

Image: Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009


the last leg!

the last leg!

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

A Short Walk Team - the last stretch!

A Short Walk Team - the last stretch!

Image; Jason Florio – The Gambia – 2009