The Family Visit!!!

I've been in The Gambia for just over 6 months now and I'm still having a wonderful time. I'm learning new things every day, meeting new and interesting people and I feel like I’m really getting to know the place.

A couple of weeks ago my Dad and sister (Cathy) came out to visit. It was really great to see them and we had a super time. They had an action-packed week and even managed to do an overnight stay in Kerewan!

During their stay here we went to church in Bakau and then to Bakau fish market and watched the fishermen bring in the evening catch. We went on a long (but lovely) boat trip to Juffureh, an old trading post and slave factory (made famous by Alex Haley's book 'Roots' and believed to be the home of the legendary Kunta Kinteh) and learnt more about the slave trade and the historical role that Gambia had during those days. We took a smaller boat over to James Island (recently renamed Kunta Kinteh Island). We also went to another fishing village called Tanji and also strolled on one of the beaches in the Senegambia area.

Like I mentioned earlier we went to Kerewan so dad and Cath got to experience the ferry crossing (Banjul/Barra) as well as getting to see where I live and meeting some of my friends and compound people. We also got to eat two home-made Gambia dishes, chicken yassa and benachin (courtesy of Aja Ceesay). We wet for strolls, evening drinks, saw crocodiles, visited craft markets and local gardens and fended off numerous bumsters!

We had a great time and I really enjoyed their visit (and that's not just because I got to stay with them in the luxury hotel with running hot water and an unlimited power supply)!!! Both Dad and Cath are talking about coming out again and I really hope they do!

I want to thank everyone who sent things out with Dad and Cath, the bats, balls etc were really popular and the children love them. Thank you as well for the luxury items that were sent out for me, they are fantastic and you've been so generous. Luckily Nathan doesn't eat that much chocolate and the taste is far too rich for the locals so more for me!!

Me and Dad at Calypso (one of our favourite hangouts)

Dad with his feet in the Atlantic Ocean

Bakau fish market

The fishermen bringing in their catch (Bakau)

The hussle of the fishmarket (Bakau)

Juffureh/Albreda

Statue at the slave museum at Juffureh

Juffureh (at the museum)

Cath and I meeting the Alkali of Juffureh (this is the village leader and this lady if one of the two female Alkali's in The Gambia)

Dad and the Alkali

James Island (now Kunta Kinteh Island)

Bakemo (Ceesay), Dad, Buba (Ceesay) and Cath at Tanji fishing village

Tanji fishing village

Some of my Kerewan friends (from left to right, Lamin, Famara, Sainey and Famara)

The fish at Tanji (they smoke them like this until they are brown and almost burnt looking and then they last a long time)

The fish being smoked (Tanji)

Me and Cath at the hotel (Ocean Bay, Cape Point)

Dad and Dad (Dad with Dembo Fula Ceesay, the big dad on my compound)

Me with two of my Kerewan friends, Sainey and Famara

Nathan helping to start the fire so we can brew green tea

The ferry (loading ready for the crossing from Bajul to Barra)

The ferry loading (from Barra to Banjul)

Buba, Me and Bakemo outside my house in Kerewan (Buba currently lives on Ceesay Kunda and Bakemo grew up here but now lives in America)

Up-country housing (near Tambana)

Dad outside my house fanning the attayah burner

One of the crocodiles in the water next to Calypso bar