Out of Senegal and into The Gambia quickly. I catch another shared taxi to the port of Barra for the ferry across the Gambia river to the country’s capital Banjul. Today the ferry is “very late”, the first of the day arriving in Barra at 10.30am. A very stately pace across the river, but I’ve never seen a better visualisation of a tin of sardines other than an actual tin of sardines.
I walk an L shape of 2 of Banjul centre’s sides in about half an hour. Its a tiny place. Visit the rather dusty National Museum which has some really interesting photos, particularly of the Queen’s visit in 1961 as head of state.
A short laidback walk up July 22nd Drive, still called Independence Drive on its roadsigns 15 years after the coup that gives it its new name, brings you to the truly hideous Arch 22. Luckily though, they seem to have already renamed Muanmar al Gaddafi Ave as Marina Parade.
The relative modernity, cleanliness, and state of repair of the taxis suggests a certain prosperity in Gambia. I would like to stay in Gambia for longer, but duty calls. Kartong sits on a small peninsula of Gambia inside Senegal’s Casamance region, and I head there before returning to French speaking Africa. I travel from more or less the northernmost point to the country’s southernmost town in the matter of 2.5. hours.
