Location

Dear family, friends and schooIs,
I have been in The Gambia for 2 weeks now , it feels a lot longer as so much has happened in such a short space of time. I will try and catergorise my journey and what I have learnt so far....
Location
The Gambia is on the Western coast of Africa, a small country bordered by Senegal and the Atlantic ocean. The Gambia has a river which runs most of its 300km and is its width varies from 20km to 40km. I have been staying in the Kombos area of the past 2 weeks. This area runs along the coast, not too far from the capital, Banjul. The Kombos is around 10km in length and contains the towns of Bakau, Fajara, Kotu and Kololi. The Kombos has tourist hotels scattered along the beach, particularly in the area of Kololi. The hotels are not high rise and are pretty low key. Unfortunately, the tourist area attracts teenage boys and young men on the beach. locally called Bumsters. They basically hang around and try and hastle you, but they are not dangerous or threatening, just a pain when you want to hang out on the beach. I was staying in Fajara for the first week, an area a bit quieter in a place called 'Safari Garden' which contained about 16 small white cottages and a pool, all very nice. I explored this area on arrival, the beach only a 10minute walk and I made the most of being by the coast with a run each morning. Runs along the beach were accompanied by Gambians running alongside having a conversation about where i was from, what are my plans and of course the story of being in their dreams, when i can see you again and here is my phone number.. all of this by breakfast!! Only a few streets have names and two in Fajara are bitumised, the rest are sandy or dirt trackss
I am now living with another volunteer while i have in county training, this is further away from the coast and 5km inland, running along the sandy streets in the morning isnt as nice as the beach.
Bakau is a town which retains an old town feel. It is the fishing area for the region and the small beach is swamped with a display of faded and weather exposed bright green and red wooden fishing boats, Set further back from the beach is the drying and smoking of the fish. The fish are catergorised, Lady Fish, Captains Fish, Snapper etc and a heap of stingrays which are exported. The array of fish are left on rows of open drying racks, covered in flies. Women use an open fire to smoke the fish. Around 5 pm the area infront of the jetty begins to come alive. Make shift areas on the ground are set up with plastic floor coverings and fish are beginning to be arranged in groups. Women are setting up their pots with curry sauce and a popular staple of pancakes, which are made in doughy, round balls. Women and men get out their prayer mats and pray seperately as part of their Muslim faith. The fisherman begin to arrive and the fresh catch of the day is ready for sale. Bakau has also local craft and food markets, these are made out of corrugated tin and contain a mixture of batiks, jewellery and wood carvings.
I will be living up country in a place called Soma. It will be about a 5 hour journey due to the bad state of the roads, more info about this after I arrive.