Into the jungle?
Gordon, Dad and I brave the crocodile pool. Sam is sleeping when we first get there, but he does wake up! Dad and I get ready to shake hands, but suddenly he does a U turn into the Deep Algae. Infertile women bathe in the pool and give the infant the name "KATCHIKAILLY" after the pool. We gave the slippery, suddenly moving croc a few names of our own! Gordon, Dad and I lived to tell the tale of the pool but the SMILE was always on the Croco's dial! We escaped the pool to venture into the nature reserve and then there were lions on the prolw, heyeas, vultures and strange loos!!! The creatures were really not so attractive as the natives themselves who were the most delightful people ever met, always greeting us with beaming smiles and other offers!!!
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The handshake of the year!
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The Crocodile hole - not the place to explore unaided!
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The Beach Challenge!
One afternoon our siesta by the hotel pool was invaded by loud 'singing' from the beach and a band of flag waving Gambians, black and shiny and fit, marched towards us! They were the wrestlers of the year - who would brave a confrontation with their Champion? My Dad, ever ready to respond to a challenge and not allowing Gordon to enter the competition, marched forward with introductions and handshakes all round; once again Gordon became a means of making friends and the flag waving and singing became a United Nations chorus! |
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Wrestlers, posers and others!
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This is one of my favorite images
The wrestling is over and the chamption "friend-maker" rests. Has he had too much of the local brew? Oh that welcome bed! |
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What will you not buy of me?!
Internet buying has nothing to teach the mini-market stall holders at the hotel Atlanic! Who could by-pass such seductive sellers?
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This is one of my favorite images
Dad, as usual, finds an admirer and would have liked to have taken her back home!!! Who could resist such offers to have a phot taken with you? Where was Gordon? Probably in another dozen poses!! Or was he already back in the Bar or Bed?! Nothing is impossible in The Gambia. The time is going too quickly and there is so much to see - the river, Banjul the Capital, two cruises down the river - the Roots Cruise and Champagne and Caviar Cruise. No wonder Gorden is so often flaked out with all there is to see and do. There are not enough days and nights and the night life and entertainment is fantastic and he is up on the stage as soon as the curtains open! And they warned us not to leave the hotel unaccompanied, but so far there has been nothing to fear! |