The single biker road block sidestep

Nice ass

I have been travelling alone again for the last few days.  Morten and I always knew we would have to split up at some point.  He has way more time than me, and wants to slow down a bit while, I need to speed up a bit.  He wanted to explore the Guinea area and I needed to start heading to Timbuktu, so Banjul was the logical split point.  Was great travelling together, he was a good companion, and two people make the work of travelling phenomenally easier.  I do regret not being able to do the Guinea exploration, it is supposed to be stunning and very rural, but that would have added another 2 to 3 weeks to my journey, and I don't want to have to rush Central Africa.  Still hate to say 'no' though.

Sunset over Gambia river

Accommodation

My plan was to try and get off the main tarred roads and tourist trail.  I've loved the bits of off-road pieces we did and really enjoy travelling through the rural areas.  Mali would be very touristy so I wanted some rough travelling before going back the touristy areas.  There are two main roads from the Gambia coast heading inland back to Senegal, the southern one being in the worst condition (chose that one). You then join the main road from Dakar to Bamako (Mali).  I heard rumours  off a possible route through South East Senegal, entering Mali from the South West.  On my maps the official road ends about a 100 km before the border and there is not much after the border until about a 100km before Bamako.  Leaving you with about a 300km stretch off unknown roads, possible only small tracks.  I though this sounded perfect.  The guys where discussing this road when we where in Nouakchott, but I  wasn't really listening.  Remebered something about a road being built and a bridge not completed, but I wasn't sure if this was even the same stretch.  Sounded like a possible adventure.  Whoop whoop.  Lets see what Africa produces.  My chosen route was from Banjul, follow southern border of Gambia river to the border, enter Senegal, head towards Tambacounda, head south west towards Kedouko (where the road on my maps end, none on GPS either), find a way across the border and then head east to Bamako.  Easy.

Huge Boab

I picked up man-flu a few days before we entered Gambia, it knocked me for a six.  I never thought I would be so run down from a few weeks on the bike, but I felt horrendous.  I rested for a few days in Banjul, but I soon became restless so decided to hit the road anyway.  Funny how addictive the road becomes! The plan was to keep my daily kilometres down and take it easy.  Try and find some decent accommodation at the end off the day and leave the roughing it for when I felt better.

The road east from Banjul was gorgeous.  A mix between tar and good gravel, snaking all along the river.  It is phenomenally lush and green.  Since entering Senegal it has been a continues mix off green, alternating between forests, wetlands and savannah.  Stunning after the month in the desert.  My favourite part has been the boab forests, amazing huge big trees standing in the long grass.  I love the boabs, they look just like giant bonzais.  Ironic.

Bus stop shelter

The only bad thing about the road through Gambia was the road blocks.  At least one in every village and sometimes there are separate ones for the police, customs, army etc.  One road block can take anything from 5 min to more than half an hour.  Luckily I had some great advice : The motorbike road block side step.  As you approach the road block slow down as if to stop, putting the guards at ease.  When you get close enough wave very friendly, and when the guard waves back you gun past him, before he gets a chance to show you to stop.  Works like a charm,  especially when the guards are sitting in the shade next to the road.  Some are more diligent though and stand in the middle off the road forcing you to stop.  Still out off more than 30 road blocks the first day, I only got stopped about 5 times.  Result.  Wonder how it will work in more aggressive Africa.   Not all road blocks are bad, the Gambians are very friendly and chatty, and sometimes they just wanted to chat, look at the bike and hear your story.  Loving the English chat after all the French, but you can't spend the whole day chatting.

Fun roads

Crossing the border to Senegal was a breeze.  No problems, not even a hint off a bribe.  Funny how lucky I have been with my border crossings.  I have heard some horror stories from people along the road.   The roads around the border posts where the worst so far.  Lots off deep loose sand, big ruts, and huge potholes, some filled with water or mud.  Fantastic bit off fun.

Alarm clock, 5am

The road to Kedougo was great again.  Newly laid tar, and  then later where they where still working on the road it was pristine gravel.  Felt like the first person on powder after a good snowfall.  My bike loved the good gravel,  I think it handles better on good gravel than on the tar, or maybe its just me getting excited about leaving the tarred roads.  The road block sidestep still working a charm.  This area is supposed to be the most remote are in Senegal and was really gorgeous.  Tiny, backwards villages scattered along the road, until the big town Kedougo, where I spend the night to get some info about the road ahead.  According to my map the proper road stopped here, but to my great disappointment the locals said the new tar continues to the border and beyond.  Gutted.  But they did promise there was some gravel on the Mali side.

This area has been very poor.  You can't help feeling sad for the locals, and wondering how things are stuck in such a bad way.  The ground is very fertile, the roads are not bad and being improved  and there are lots off rivers around.  In other parts off the world this would have been prime agricultural country, but here things are stuck mostly at the subsistence farming level.  I can understand the desert being poor, but its harder to get your head around it here.  Would love to know the complete story of cause and effect.  One off the saddest things I saw here where small kids (6,7 years old) collecting scrap metal for a living.  I arrived in the village and stopped for a drink just as the scrap metal dealer arrived.  There where loads off small kids bringing all the scrap metal they could find for some small change.  They should be in school or playing.  I know this is how it is in lots of the world and I have seen similar many times in SA, but I still don't like it.

 Some updates on 'the beard.'  Looking good.