Serendipity intervened this evening, with the dinner table next to us occupied by a couple of gentlemen conversing by telephone about the political situation in Gambia. Clearly they were very knowledgeable about current affairs in the region, and once their telephone calls were completed we were keen to quiz them for more detail.
As luck would have it, Colin and Nick were a couple of journalists with the Al Jazeera network who had come to the border to cover the emerging conflict. They had a wealthy of first hand information, and were able to advise us that all borders between Gambia and Senegal are now closed. This effectively thwarts our plan for tomorrow which was to progressively try other crossing points in the hope of finding one open.
Having lived and worked in the region for some time, they were also able to offer detailed intel for the remainder of our 2016 journey.
We had been anticipating some issues with Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire, but both gents assure us that these countries have incredibly unique cultures and will be highlights of our trip.
They also noted the unique environment in Guinea-Bissau. As an effective narco-state and the major pipeline for narcotics into Europe, this unusual little country also has a thriving Portuguese-influenced culture and a pristine archipelago of islands with less than a third inhabited. We have noted several great recommendations and will be sure to take a speedboat out to the islands.
Nick and Colin; if you are following the blog, thanks so much for your timely advice, it was very much appreciated.
