Blogs from Lower Casamance, Senegal, Africa

Inverno 2019/2020, Tropico del Cancro. Costa mediterrana del Marocco: fredda ed umida; costa atlantica nordafricana: ventosa e notti fredde; deserto del Sahara: di giorno un caldo atroce mentre di notte servono due coperte di lana; costa del senegambia: non male, ma l'acqua dell'oceano e' sempre terribilmente fredda; medio corso del fiume Gambia: clima quasi ottimale ma la vegetazione riarsa tutt'attorno conferma la cronica mancanza d'acqua durante la lunga stagione secca che si traduce anche in una pressoche' totale assenza di frutta sui banchi dei mercati della regione: qualche banana, mandarini dal Marocco e mele (mele!) dal Sudafrica, tutto a prezzi di livello quasi europeo. Questa parte di Africa, in inverno, rappresenta ben poco quello che idealmente intendiamo per "paradiso tropicale"; sempre meglio del lungo e buio inverno europeo comunque, ma per trovare qualcosa di piu' convinc ... read more

13-14 mars "Je suis allé en Casamance, j'en rêvais depuis longtemps à cause du mot romance" André Malraux Séparée du reste du Sénégal, la Casamance se trouve enclavée entre la Gambie au nord et la Guinée-Bissau au sud. À partir de Dakar, s’y rendre en taxi-brousse ou en autocar semble être une désagréable aventure de patience, causée principalement par une interminable attente (paraît- il) au poste frontalier de la Gambie. L'option préférée des voyageurs demeure donc le traversier qui, deux à trois fois par semaine, quitte Dakar pour rejoindre Ziguinchor (en Casamance) en une quinzaine d'heures de traversée sur l’Atlantique. Ayant prévu le coup depuis plus d'une semaine, j'ai (heureusement) un billet de croisière entre les mains, ce qui m'empêchera d'effectuer les suffocantes étapes de route terrestre jusqu'à Ziguinchor. … Comme planifié, je m'... read more

It was a battle of wills during a stroll along the beach in Cap Skirring. Renowned for its people-less beaches those few people that are there are there to talk and talk up a storm. They are the beach bums. The Rasta men, a group of people I have very little time for. So when I set off left from my accommodation on the water for $12 a night I was heading the opposite direction of town and towards the Guinea-Bissau border. I wouldn’t get robed or beaten up but would instead test the Rasta mans will power. How far will this guy walk with me? Will he stay with me long enough for me to turn back? I re-entered Senegal from The Gambia and started off with a pee next to the immigration office. Not ... read more

from Nouakchott we took a sept place taxi to rosso at the senegalese border, which is a river and involves crossing by pirogue after your passports have been stamped on the Mauritanian side. The border was very chaotic; trying to hold on to our passports at the same time as attempting to find a decent price for a boat across the river in the heat. finally we made it to the other side where we met a senegalese man called Amelou who changed miney for us and invited us back to his house for tea and playing the guitar. Once it had cooled down we made our way to Saint Louis which was much more relaxed and cooler so we stayed there for a few days going around with someone who lives there called Hallifa. We ... read more

So these couple days on the beach are turning out quite nicely, as the beach is beautiful and deserted. Plus mango season is on! This means I can have my fill of mangoes, while trying not to get hit by them as they fall from the trees! Babaka’s friend, Simon is very helpful and has shown me all around and introduced me to many of his friends and “family”. I can’t seen to avoid eating five meals a day as everyone is so hospitable. They are also mostly Christians, which means pigs running around and booze sold more readily, although the Senegalese seem to be the laisser faire Muslims (as Al would say). I’m actually staying in Babaka’s place in Kabrosse, which is where he lives when he works here during the tourist season. His hut ... read more