Oiseaux Djoudj National Park

Oiseaux Djoudj National Park Parc national des oiseaux du Djoudj roughly translates to the National Park Bird Sanctuary, which easily had the largest diversity of wildlife we saw on this trip.  However, any joy we had at the park was more than wiped out at the Rosso border crossing. Sunrise and the morning commute into work. The nesting area for the White Pelican.  I do not know how they keep their eggs from getting stepped on. They seem so graceful in the air and water but on land they just stumble and wobble about. An eagle with a freshly caught fish in its talons. We scared this large tusker coming around the corner in our boat.  Pumbaa the warthog really is my favourite Disney character. This poor guy has a long way to walk to the nearest village. Mauritania does not allow the sale of alcohol so David is filling up the pirate's nook with a secret stash of beer to smuggle across the border.  If you want to read about that miserable crossing check out Rasa's Blog. This estuary was the last major body of fresh water we will see until Morocco.  Once we crossed the Senegal River on the Rosso ferry, we were truly, fully and finally into the Sahara Desert. Robert J Kent Jr- robjkentjr@gmail.com Environmental Resource Policy Adviser www.RobRasa.com Voice Mail: +1 (631) 458-1119 Skype ID: rob-rasa Sharing: Contact  |  Support Us  |  Home  |  Books              all content ©2006-2009 click to REMOVE your email Robert & Rasa's rubbernecking

Saint-Louis

Saint-Louis Saint-Louis was one of the first European settlements in West Africa and the capital of Senegal and Mauritania at one point.  Those must have been the days because now it is a colourful but sleepy town that had some great beach camping. This is the bridge across the lagoon at high tide.  The Zebra Bar is just by that tower on the left. We started to see an abundance of birdlife here, with me finally getting a decent shot of flamingos. I spent fifteen minutes terrorizing the crab trying to get this picture. We saw all sorts of strange relationships in Senegal and Gambia but this one beat them all. The main bridge on to the island of Saint-Louis.  This was only one part of the town that could have used a new coat of paint. It never hurts to ask. The beauty and color of an alleyway in Saint-Louis It was so nice to have cool nights and comfortable days again, especially on such a beautiful beach.  Our next destination is the bird watching mecca of Oiseaux du Djoudj National Park before doing the worst border crossing in all of Africa. Robert J Kent Jr- robjkentjr@gmail.com Environmental Resource Policy Adviser www.RobRasa.com Voice Mail: +1 (631) 458-1119 Skype ID: rob-rasa Sharing: Contact  |  Support Us  |  Home  |  Books              all content ©2006-2009 click to REMOVE your email Robert & Rasa's rubbernecking

Finishing the Dakar Rally

Finishing the Dakar Rally We crossed back into Senegal and spent one night at Popenguine before going to Dakar.  After crawling in traffic for hours to get to the airport, we decided to have lunch and head to Lac Rose to sleep. Welcome to Kaolack, officially the dirtiest city in all of Africa. Nothing like a fresh oyster respite before heading back out in the gnarling traffic.  Thinking we were smart, we took some back streets only to get hopelessly lost in the suburbs of Dakar. We finally made it just before sunset to the lake.  Lac Rose is where the Dakar Rally finishes up and is known for the colour of its water.  At certain times of the year, it will be a brilliant light pink.  Now is not the time. The salt quarry is how all the people are employed here in the off season.  They pull mountains of the stuff out of the water. All packed up and ready for export.  Think twice before shaking that container of sea salt next time. They scrape the salt off the bottom of the lake and fill up the boats. The wind picked up and caught these kids out on the salt flats. We were a bit sad at not getting to see the famous slave islands off Dakar but we got over it as soon as we were back on the open road.  Our next stop is the very Carib city of Saint-Louis. Robert J Kent Jr- robjkentjr@gmail.com Environmental Resource Policy Adviser www.RobRasa.com Voice Mail: +1 (631) 458-1119 Skype ID: rob-rasa Sharing: Contact  |  Support Us  |  Home  |  Books              all content ©2006-2009 click to REMOVE your email Robert & Rasa's rubbernecking

Sukuta 'beach' Camping

Sukuta 'beach' Camping We made it to Sukuta Camping, near the beach resorts of Serrekunda, and collapsed for a week.  Other than our daytrip to Abuko Nature Reserve, I did not take many pictures but let me assure you that we did eat like kings at all the fancy expat restaurants. The perfect holiday beach but it is the night time activities that make the tourists change their return tickets.  Let us just say we learned something new about foreign females and strapping locals. The hiking trail through the nature reserve.  We were told not to linger on the walkway because of crocodiles. One of several 2m (6ft) long monitor lizards that scared us to death while walking through the forest.  This guy was just a 1m (3ft) baby. I am almost certain this is a Red Colobus Monkey but it sure looks like a baby chimpanzee. If I only had a macro lens these bugs would have been the highlight of my trip.  Their colors were absolutely stunning. Love must be in the air with the camp dogs.  Can you guess which one is Lilliput and which one is Adonis? This is Dean and the bike he has ridden from South Africa to The Gambia.  The night he arrived, we went out with his mercenary friends from Sierra Leone. The rest of that story stays forever in the many bars of Serrenkunda we visited. Just so glad to be speaking English, eating great food, and sleeping in cool weather again, this was longest we stayed in one spot for the whole trip.  Sad to leave, we set out for Dakar, Senegal and passed through the dirtiest city of our trip (a week of firsts). Robert J Kent Jr- robjkentjr@gmail.com Environmental Resource Policy Adviser www.RobRasa.com Voice Mail: +1 (631) 458-1119 Skype ID: rob-rasa Sharing: Contact  |  Support Us  |  Home  |  Books              all content ©2006-2009 click to REMOVE your email Robert & Rasa's rubbernecking

Janjanbureh (Georgetown)

Janjanbureh (Georgetown) After exchanging some US dollars in Basse (the first place to exchange them at a fair rate), we made a stop on the island of Georgetown.  Except for all the punk kids, who claim to be guides and do not leave you in peace, the place was worth at least one night of looking around and a quick trip down the river to see some of those rare, fabled birds of the area. A welcome sign to The Gambia with a nice reminder that this former British colony now drives on the right side of the road. This ferry uses a cable to pull itself across the river.  I wondered where we would end up if it broke. Another spider bite that looks a lot worse than it is. Sunrise the morning of our river tour.  We are finally out of the dull, blown out skies of the desert. Our royal yacht , which the punk guides promised was the best around.  The benches were made from rough-cut 2x4s. A male weaver bird busily making his nest.  The females pick a mate based on the quality of the home. Palm wine in the process of fermentation.  Just let your mind wonder what critters live in those bottles.  Its all protein right? Gambia is essentially a strip of land along the river surrounded by Senegal with a main road on the north and south.  We took the north route and were at the resort beaches near Banjul within a day, and that was with us being pulled into the police station for questions about our visas. Robert J Kent Jr- robjkentjr@gmail.com Environmental Resource Policy Adviser www.RobRasa.com Voice Mail: +1 (631) 458-1119 Skype ID: rob-rasa Sharing: Contact  |  Support Us  |  Home  |  Books              all content ©2006-2009 click to REMOVE your email Robert & Rasa's rubbernecking