Kids scamper about in ragtag or no clothing, and the women cart amazing loads balanced on their heads, walking sedately in that graceful African manner. Water is drawn by hand from a central village well, and lights out occurs as soon as the sun sets.
Of course, lights out doesn't mean everyone goes to bed. Rather, these Senegalese villages really come to life after dark when the sun is no longer blazing overhead and temperatures are less scorching.
Groups of people mill around roadside, often observed more as rows of bobbing white teeth than any other distinguishable form.
Greetings are always cheery, either in Wolof or an occasional "bonjour" from someone acknowledging that we are obviously foreigners. Brief pauses for fuel invariably involve a gaggle of kids competing for attention, and a few shy adults getting a closer look at us.
Whilst we will be glad to get back to the coastline for some cooler temperatures, it has been a real privilege to see this part of the world.
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What a difference an afternoon and a few hundred kilometres can make. Our reroute around The Gambia has taken us directly through the Casemance region of Senegal.
Smarttraveller.gov.au helpfully advises "The security situation in Casamance is unpredictable with the possibility of clashes between separatist rebels and government forces. There are landmines in some parts of the region and armed bandits operate in the area. If you do decide to travel to the Casamance region, you should exercise extreme caution."
I'm surprised that rebels or bandits can get away with anything at all here. Entry is via a single road in and out, with grim military personnel everywhere. Ty was particularly dismayed after his bike backfired loudly in the vicinity of a 50-Calibre machine gun mounted on the back of an armoured vehicle. One round from that sucker would have obliterated the little KLR altogether.
The friendly Senegalese smiles are completely absent here, and it is clearly a region experiencing some challenges. People don't generally meet your eye, or if they do, then it is only to stare back in a wide eyed challenge.
Travelling through this particular region in daylight is tricky, but downright silly at night time, so we have stopped in Zuiginchor for the night. Our lodgings are basic to say the least, and the first dive into the swimming pool would result in a mouthful of brackish water and a cracked head. The inhouse dinner menu was refreshingly simply "poisson au poulet" (fish or chicken). None of us were brave enough to ask for a side salad or dessert.
We will all be glad to get out of this place tomorrow. It has the same feel as Downtown LA, Tondo in Manila or Guatemala City. People stare at you impassively, and there is a general air of menace. Up at first light and headed towards the border for Guinea-Bissau which is less than 50km away.
