Senegal and The Gambia

[Reef]

Was in a library today and picked up the lonely planet on these two countries. Looks kinda cool, not too dangerous, and interesting. Great music scene too apparantly. I'm hoping to go travelling somewhere in Africa for a month next Summer.

Anyone been?

[PigCapitalist]

No, but may be the best of Africa. Casamance is legendary amongst beach bum travellers

[yer_one]

I was in the Gambia a few yrs back, we went in Feb and it was lovely and warm.
Grand holiday if you want to stay on the beach and not move from the hotel but the locals are a pain in the ass!!
All hotels are meant to have their own 'private' beaches with security to keep the locals from pestering you but they are never around.
And dont go swimming or walking along the beach as they follow you!
The poverty there is something I have never witnessed and made us very depressed.
One day we hired a guide to take us on a tour to their markets and harbour!! :shock:
Outside most hotels you get people begging but you also find army men willing to show you around. We met one and he made our last 5 days great. Took us to nice bars and restaurants and we weren’t getting hassled as he was with us. He even brought us to his Sergeants daughters naming service (Christening), now that was an experience.
Now it may be different with guys travelling there but we were 4 females so I suspect we were easy targets.

[Reef]

Cheers for the info on that. I'd say I'll try to head off the beaten track a bit more, probably asking for trouble there! Did it feel safe there generally? Obviously the old hassle is annoying, but usually harmless enough in my experience.

Seriously thinking about going there alright, might go overland from Morocco through Mauritania. Had a buddy who did the same trip and he said it was unreal - here's (http://earthkora.blogspot.c om/) a blog from someone who did it recently:

[yer_one]

I think we were more intimated than worried about our safety to be honest. But I do think that had I travelled there as a guy or part of a couple things would have been different.
But I would recommend taking the trip, its always worth exploring new places off the beaten track.
But in the summer!! are you mad, hope you dont mind the heat. :p

[Lostmeringtopaddypower]

Was in a library today and picked up the lonely planet on these two countries. Looks kinda cool, not too dangerous, and interesting. Great music scene too apparantly. I'm hoping to go travelling somewhere in Africa for a month next Summer.

Anyone been?

Forget north, east and west Africa.
Go to Capetown and drive from there to Port Elizabeth along the Garden Route.
You won't be unhappy and you will survive (without malaria).

[PigCapitalist]

Forget north, east and west Africa.
Go to Capetown and drive from there to Port Elizabeth along the Garden Route.
You won't be unhappy and you will survive (without malaria).
You won't get malaria in Senegal I think. One of the lowest crime rates in Africa. I would think the further off the tourist areas the less hassle you will have. Travel is always a different experience for the girls.

[Reef]

It's looking more like it'll be March/April when I go, so the heat shouldn't be too bad. Apparantly there's bad enough malaria alright in places, but I suppose you just take your tablets and don't be a retard about it and you should be grand. I'm going to go to Uganda, Kenya, and possibly Rwanda after. Starting a job in July so I'll have a few months to finally get rid of my inner hippy...

I'd love to go to South Africa alright, somewhere I'd say I'll save until I'm a bit older though.