Unfortunately my camera that I bought in Dakar later erased all my pictures I took over the next two months. Eventually I got a new card and have some pictures from the end of my trip, but pics are scarce for the next several entries. Sorry! A couple of interesting days in the capital of the Casamance. Salif’s friend Babaka met me at the port and took me to his house. Everything has been great as far as that is concerned. 5000 CFA per night and I buy most of the food, which he cooks. (Babaka is a pastry chef [View Full Entry]

---

---

Monday 3rd November I spend a leisurely day floating around town and relaxing. Sitting on the verandah overlooking the Casamance river with a gently cooling breeze. It is just great. Did I say somewhere I love being on the bike? Speaking of which the bike gets a big treat by way of a power wash and general check and tightening of bolts, it needed it. And some other maintaince. Despite the Trans Gambian Highway the Heath Robinson repair on the headlight is holding up. Another decision today. Mark will head west tomorrow to Cap Skiring and the ocean and more particularly [View Full Entry]

---

---

I was ready to get out of Ziguinchor and see what I would find in the more remote parts of Casamance. I deceided to make my way to the island of Karabane. Distances were mostly short in Casamance so I arrived in Elinkane in less than 2 hours. After a simple lunch by the river I got by first experience of traveling by pirogue. This happens to be a long dugout wooden canoe with a motor that transports locals from different spots thoughout the islands and small viliages off the river. They can fit 30 or people on these boats but [View Full Entry]

---

---

I left Dakar on Halloween night with not even a small image in Senegal that reminded me of Halloween in Chicago. I am sure all of my friends are out these next two nights in costumes partying the night away. It wasn't so bad for me as I was taking an overnight Ferry to the southern region of Senegal called Casamance. The ferry was very modern and I traveled in comfort as I had a bed in 4 person room. I spent the night talking to other travelers about their travels through West Africa. I awoke to us out of the [View Full Entry]

---

---

Alright, where was I... So, Monday we set out for Oussouye, a village not far from Ziguinchor and a common base for hiking/biking adventures in the region. Finding a means of transportation from Ziguinchor was not very fun. The instant we walked into the Gare Routiere (road station), a mob of aggressive drivers came upon us, shouting prices, pushing each other out of the way, giving contradictory information... needless to say it was hot, overwhelming, and generally unpleasant. Finally we decided to take an air conditioned minibus which we were assured was leaving "leegi leegi" (right away) [View Full Entry]

---

---

It's been quite awhile! Normally I can't wait to update my blog but its been difficult with my broken key board. The reflective mood will strike me when I'm bored at home which would be the perfect opportunity to write in my blog to update later when I have internet... except that the t, i, and o keys aren't working. Those are three very important letters and it would take far too long to add them in manually... so I've been slacking on my updates. Sorry! Anyways... TONS has happened since I last posted. Rereading, I think there was a lot [View Full Entry]

---

---

and in karabane I stayed one day, and if you see the pictures you will know what I mean for paradise, cause I was getting close to it. still it was a bit too busy, some too many whites, too many hostels (about 4), too much of a stoner feel to the area... there was a colonial church desolated among the trees to make up for it... [View Full Entry]

---

---

then I went to elinkin in a yaganyae, a small truck filled and I mean FILLED with people, pictures are available of the trip where I had to sit in the roof of it while two french guys were hanging in its back. I got hit by a few branches, and one gave me a bruise in the arm that still lasts, but thank god it wasnt in the head. elinkine is a nice town by the coast from where I left with the two french guys and a french girl to karabane [View Full Entry]

---

---

first I went to oussye, a city in the middle of the jungle. its suppoused to be the capital of the department and the sorcerer of the region lives here, a dude called atabo whose son I met cause wazs a good friend of pablo, my friend in dakar, got it? everythign is green full of baobabs and fromagers, huuuuge trees, amazing ones. and therere mosquitos with malaria everywhere, and you can breathe the greeness, and the sly is so full of stars that the milky way looks like a huge cloud keeping you in its white shade... africa is startibng [View Full Entry]

---

---

It's nice to have left the predatory 'bumsters' of the Gambia behind. Bumsters is the local Gambian name for the touts and would be guides that plague the Atlantic coast. Here in Ziguinchor, it's much more relaxed. This is undoubtedly because Ziguinchor isn't a mass package tourism destination. The interior of the Gambia may be less of a hassle, but I never got there, as I spent days feeling unwell with tooth ache and didn't want to do anything. It has to be said being pestered by bumsters when I have tooth ache makes me bad tempered! Anyway, I decided yesterday [View Full Entry]

---

---