Again a short and rather boring stage in the bush, mostly along donkey tracks only wide enough for (slim African) donkeys. We still like Gambia and its people,  but their permanent friendliness and desire to communicate sometimes becomes exhausting. How are you? What’s your name? Where do you come from? Where are you going? How do you like The Gambia? Are you selling your car? For how much?

After 12 evaluated stages we are still second behind Team Játékshop, and we believe that will not change anymore tomorrow.

Finally, after 14 days we have reached the tongue of Senegal – that’s how the Senegalese call The Gambia. The people are very friendly and they all speak English! We visited Stonehenge like stone circles (the guide there is convinced they are the origin of human civilization,  if not of the whole universe), crossed the Gambia river twice, and now camp in the yard of the elementary school of Janjanbureh. Surrounded by around 100 children who don’t ask for gifts but want to talk to you. At 11pm. Next door there is a party with sex, drugs and afropop (no rock’n roll unfortunately).

The 11th stage was rather boring, the whole day in the bush. You don’t see much except for trees, grass and dust, you only hear screaming sound of branches scratching the car. Outside its dusty and 40°C hot.

The camp tonight is on the banks of the Gambia river in a national park. Last time we saw hippos here, now I could not spot any. Will have a look tomorrow in the morning again, the stages are shorter now and we don’t have to leave in darkness already.