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jambo
3300 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Jun 2006 : 19:08:29
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what makes me happy, i am travelling tomorrow to gambia off to see my families, pay school fees?!. Relax, enjoy the football and celebrate england winning through to the second round! (yes Sab). MINTIES AND FANTAS on the way.
i will keep in touch if i can, i intend to go one of the au summit event/s. to see what the fuss is about and let you know have the traffic is.
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jun 2006 : 21:27:24
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| Its really nice to hear going on holidays to enjoy the lovely weather and the extras of "Gambia no problem?" Meeting family and friends is wonderful. Jambo good luck to you and enjoy. |
Edited by - kobo on 15 Jun 2006 21:35:43 |
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LEMON TIME
Afghanistan
1295 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jun 2006 : 22:17:53
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| have a lovely time throughtout your holiday JAMBO and we waiting for a feed back. |
There is no god but Allah |
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Newfy
Western Samoa
462 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jun 2006 : 22:33:15
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| Jambo Have a great time seeing your family, aunties, class mates and all. Say hello to Mammy Wata for me too....:) |
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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jun 2006 : 22:44:57
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Safe journey - yes England eventually made it; great match.
Best to keep away from the summit area - last year I was en-route to Kartong and made the stop in the bush taxi at Sukuta they were expecting the President two hours later - there was so much military & machine guns around I thought Bush had invaded!
regards sab. |
The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jun 2006 : 08:50:08
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| thanks everyone. sab what a game. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jun 2006 : 20:17:32
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tales from a west country!!.
It all started at the airport. Africans cannot travel light. at check in monarch arline annouce the flight was not full e that it is 20kgs of check in luggage and 5 kils of hand luggage. the only thing i did not see was a cow and the bathroom sink. One man had 64 kils and happily paid it.
But this is the rub, at the departure gate they rechecked everyon handluggage and declared its was 5kils including duty free!!. Monarch big rip off. Can you imagine paying twice 
the flights was not full at least 20 seats empty.
at banjul the bagge is now checked by hand, questions do you have any electrical items like chargers, my announce yes thanks. If you have you have to pay duty to pay how much depends on the charger!!, love the questions.
So funny, it is hot and dry. [  ] The au is in full swing lots of landscaping going on
next shock planning to go out, saturday cleaning day!!, no taxi they did not tell me this!!  the president visited a view places to congratulate people on the cleaning efforts, great photo opportunities.
Saturday evening went to a wedding Mandinka, it was the bride second wedding reception!! African weddings would cripple a european family. they had the big ceremony on Friday and the bride 's father was so happy that his eldest daughter was getting married they had a small er reception the next night. If you have never been to a gambian wedding beg, borrow or steal and invitation or gatecrash they are amazing. ladies are dressed loud, fabulous and proud. my friend told me that she could not wear the same outfit twice as they would talk about her. i do think these events are the woman's day, the main were almost invisible. In the middle of the ceremony, picture taking, NAWEC pulled the plug . What larks.
Sunday church, caught up with old friends which is always nice. in the afternoon, went to see one of my families to discuss school. lots of events happening plenty of shows, contests, seminars etc, but can you get information no way. want to buy tickets to a womens trade day and a concert at the stadium AU is in full.
will keep you posted, my goods have not arrived have been delayed so the purpose of me being here has gone.
hopefully it will be here by friday fingers crossed.
tune in soon 
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 07:38:11
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Yes everyone be warned.....the luggage thing is getting MUCH stricter on the weight and the charges are VERY expensive.
Once you get to Gambia you pay 'duty' for electrical things OR they confiscate them! Sugest you keep any mobiles in your hand bag...might just get away with that. I had 3 to give away to people in villages that had been promised them. One was taken at the airport as 'payment'.
Wedding sounds great!!! But where does the money come from? In Uk weddings TEND to be according to your means...but in Gambia it sounds like everyone expects the 'BIG DO'..... Is this social pressure? It is great fun at the time..but does it cause hardship later? |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 07:52:52
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
Yes everyone be warned.....the luggage thing is getting MUCH stricter on the weight and the charges are VERY expensive.
Once you get to Gambia you pay 'duty' for electrical things OR they confiscate them! Sugest you keep any mobiles in your hand bag...might just get away with that. I had 3 to give away to people in villages that had been promised them. One was taken at the airport as 'payment'.
Wedding sounds great!!! But where does the money come from? In Uk weddings TEND to be according to your means...but in Gambia it sounds like everyone expects the 'BIG DO'..... Is this social pressure? It is great fun at the time..but does it cause hardship later?
Did you travel to Gambia recently? I thought you said that you have deferred your travel arrangements til later. Don't worry about Gambian wedding, social life and lifestyles as Jambo is happy out there. You are not contibuting anything here rather than making assumptions and discrediting others. It appears something is wrong with you. Are you sharing your thoughts or making others look low? Are your hands clean? |
Edited by - kobo on 20 Jun 2006 07:57:07 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 08:13:19
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What is it kobo? Get at Bev day?!
I went to Gambia for 2 weeks in March....you can reading my experiences on bantaba. I had a fantastic trip. I will not be going this November because of stuff at home, but will be returning March 2007 hopefully to go to Wassu....and return to Kolior and I have booked my place with school trip for Nov 2007 and I am taking my daughter too! |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 08:15:53
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| By the way..Saturday cleaning day is the last Saturday of the month. If you are only going to Gambia for a week I would aviod it if you can.....all transport stops! The streets are very quiet.... Strange idea the president telling you when to clean.....imagine that in UK Think people would tell him to F... off! |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 13:16:54
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quote:
Originally posted by gambiabev
By the way..Saturday cleaning day is the last Saturday of the month. If you are only going to Gambia for a week I would aviod it if you can.....all transport stops! The streets are very quiet.... Strange idea the president telling you when to clean.....imagine that in UK Think people would tell him to F... off!
I think the cleaning day was a good idea. Otherwise the country, especially Serekunda Market, would drown in plastic bags and other 'civilisation' trash. A couple of years ago, when I revisited Gambia after a longer period, I was shocked to see that the clean country I knew from the 90ies turned into a rubbish dump. We should not only think of our own touristic needs. No tourist dies if he/she has to stay at the hotel beach until 2 p.m. Maybe it would be fun to help cleaning? As far as I know, waste is one of the problems caused by tourists... |
Edited by - serenata on 20 Jun 2006 13:26:01 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 13:48:10
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Cleaning DAY is a joke!!!
Gambians need to be taught in school not to throw their rubbish on the street...... Everyone just throws everything down on the floor and out of car windows...... half a day a month isnt going to change that!!!!!!
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 13:55:50
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| Do you really think education would help? |
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twinkly
United Kingdom
190 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 13:55:56
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quote:
Originally posted by serenata
We should not only think of our own touristic needs. No tourist dies if he/she has to stay at the hotel beach until 2 p.m. Maybe it would be fun to help cleaning? As far as I know, waste is one of the problems caused by tourists...
I think this is just another move by Jammeh to show his people his power.I never saw any cleaning(maybe because I never went near the tourist area),but all I realised is that it affects ordinary Gambians.
How can someone go about their business if they are not allowed to drive?Most people in Gambia live on a hand to mounth basis so please think about the effects this has on families.I experienced the struggle of this nonsense and I can't agree with it one bit.
I couldn't care less if it affects the tourists, but for the people who have to live there it is not a pleasant idea! |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 20 Jun 2006 : 14:10:54
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People are FRIGTHENED to move around because of the military on the streets..but that doesnt mean they are CLEANING.....
At the nursery school I took some sweets and we handed them round one or two each child.....they all started to throw the wrapers on the floor. I said to the teacher to tell them to stop and listen to him. I told him to say that in England children get told off for droping litter on the floor. We are told to put it in the bin. At school we are expected to tidy up and keep things nice.
The children started to pick up the rubbish, I put it all in my bag and took it to the hotel and put it in my bin there. These children are 3 and 4 years of age. The teacher said they remembered what I told them........ Children of this age are very impressionable. That is why the early years of school are so important. As a teacher you are their guide socially too, like an extra parent..... We want to raise children to be good citizens, not just good at maths and english!
Of course tourists have a big impact on the level of rubbish in a country. What is done with that rubbish is a government issue. Packaging is a big ecological issue worldwide.
Finally I agree with twinkly..the impact on local people of not being able to work one day a month is very important..... This will affect the income of the family.
If as a country you are trying to encourage tourism, being stuck in your hotel IS a big deal if you are only there for one week and there are other places you could chose to go (Kenya, Tunisia)....if that is your first day in a new country what impression does it give? Perhaps that it is too much effort and difficult to get out of the hotel????? We had to hang around waiting until we could get the buses to meet our Gambian students...... Then we took our 100 pupils with the Gambian students to Banjul market but it was very late in the day..... very very quiet..not the same experience at all as the previous years...and for many of those people this would be there only week ever in the Gambia.
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