In the land... of Senegambia (page 3 of 5)

Oh wow, a travel journal about my second home country...

It's rare—let's make the most of it. You're all honorary Sénégaulois now.

Maangi yaakaar ne biir bi neex oon na rekk 😇

In the land of teranga, I love doing nothing—but I do it well.

Well, big cats, this is the first time I’ve read Wolof, and I can tell it’s not gonna happen anytime soon that I’ll be practicing it 😄. But welcome! You’re arriving just in time for Kafountine, and I hope you’ve checked out Ziguinchor—you must know it well 😉

So, geographically speaking, the logical next stop should have been CAP SKIRRING, but we decided to head to KAFOUNTINE instead—a "dead-end" town we discovered on Google Maps 😵.

And honestly, it's pretty funny to see the reality, which is so different from what we'd imagined!

The first impression is definitely disappointing: a long straight road lined with all kinds of very local little shops, and sandy paths stretching out on either side, leading to what feels like nowhere.

And then, at the very end, there’s the largest port in Casamance. Yes, I’ll admit it—this trip’s theme is *slightly* port-heavy 😄. But the first sight here is mostly a line of trucks, and the first smell? A stench beyond words 🤢🤮. And of course, Lulu and I exchange a look that says, "What on earth are we doing here?" 😅

But that’s often how Africa is. It doesn’t reveal itself right away.

So, like any self-respecting tourists, we head to the beach to discover a flock of colorful boats anchored offshore and along the shore.



And just like in Tanji, the waterfront is a real hive of activity: fishermen, vendors, buyers, and endless haggling over prices.

Behind it all is the big "neighborhood" where fish is dried 🤢🐟. But since we’re a bit squeamish, we opted for a quick look and then left 😅.

Then it’s time to take a deep breath of fresh air while walking along the sea, discovering a completely wild coastline: as far as the eye can see, there’s not a single trace of concrete!! Just casuarina trees, sand, and the ocean, often soaring with flocks of pelicans 🦢.

So we walk in this "alone in the world" atmosphere, splashing in the same waves as back home (but much warmer 😵), and it’s time to grab a bite. But of course, we can’t have it all—no restaurants in sight. Here, you have to look for them... in well-hidden paradises. They’re actually just behind the "dune," along winding paths beneath lush vegetation.



They’re called "campements," and there are plenty of them along this coast: guesthouses made of often round huts, nestled under trees in shady gardens.



Hey, old-timers, does this ring a bell? 😵? 🎶 "Welcome to Galaswinda Darladiladada" 🎶 😅



Sure enough, it’s the same setting. But luckily for us, the vibe is nothing like it 😅. I’ll tell you more soon 😊!

Yeah, I read it, of course... I also know Kafountine well... and its *maquis*...🤪

It’s more toward autumn, but have you seen the *kumpo*? I love it! !

Nope, big cats, didn't see the Kumpo this time. But I did see it in Benin (well, I don’t know if it’s called the same thing there, but it looks a lot like it 😅). 😊

We had planned to stay in KAFOUNTINE for a few days, but during this trip, we kept hearing about ABENÉ, a bit further north, just 40 minutes from the Gambian border. And well, fate works in mysterious ways—it was right on our route for the return flight! 😄

That’s how we ended up at Shudyma, with a clientele of the most original mix: - A Gambian couple, - 2 Germans who live in Barcelona, - A French costume designer for films (so cool 😄), - 3 Polish women aged 50, 25, and 2, who live in Cape Verde, and 3 Senegalese kids aged 14 with their teachers, who came for a workshop on "environmental preservation" 🤓. And since the place is tiny, we’d already chatted with everyone by the first afternoon 😄.

But it was time to check out the beach, just 700 meters away, by crossing the local "Rue Sainte Catherine" 🤪: a red dirt road lined with makeshift stalls, where Rastas often hang out watching you pass by 😄.

You’ll find all sorts of small businesses there: a dry cleaner, a barber, a bookseller, and a tailor 😆.





Well, we couldn’t find any carpenters to hire, but it wasn’t for lack of trying!

Right away, our antennas picked up on a super friendly vibe that only got better. After two days, we had a bunch of joking friends: "Oooh, you’re as tanned as a grilled lobster," "So, how’s married life treating you two?" 😏

This place truly embodies the famous "Teranga"—nonstop "you’re welcome here" vibes 😆.

And then you discover the beach. A few fishing boats, just enough to add splashes of color to the landscape,

deserted beaches as far as the eye can see, whether to the right or left, and the height of luxury: 3 or 4 bars right by the water. But forget the Promenade des Anglais—here, it’s mostly ancient parasols and super uncomfortable wooden benches.

But once again, appearances are deceiving—there’s plenty of opportunity for apéro while watching the sun go down just before stuffing ourselves with delicious fresh fish 🤓.



See paradise yet? Well, it’s not over yet! 😄

ABENÉ’s nickname is the "little Jamaica," with lots of Rastas and music everywhere 🤓. Live music concerts, like the Kora performance that welcomed us on our first night,

reggae nights EVERY night in each village bar on rotation, griots going from house to house offering "their serenades," and even locals rehearsing every morning with a Djembé group, welcoming us with open arms even if we were just passing through 🤗.

In the end, we stayed 5 nights in Abené! So for this trip, we definitely prioritized quality over quantity 😄.



But it’s already over, and it’s time to head back to Gambia... via the most adventurous border crossing of our lives! 😄🤓

But you can forget the Promenade des Anglais: here it’s mostly antique parasols and really uncomfortable wooden benches.

It’s pretty, it’s got that vintage charm I love ;) And then there’s the white wine, the fish, and the reggae—you’re right to call it paradise!

Thanks Christelle for this really refreshing virtual trip 🙂 A bit too "off the beaten path" for me, I must admit... except for the last stop in Abené, which looks super nice and I’m really tempted!

I’ll admit, girls, I had a real crush on this place—it’s got such great vibes, as our buddy Rasta Manouman would say 😄













To the point where I’m wondering if we haven’t found our future retirement home 😊 there...



But don’t leave just yet, Muriel—there’s still one more stop 😄

I thought it was over, off to the airport! 😏

Indeed, this final leg of your trip really makes you want to go... 😊

This is wild: a few photos with smiles, sand, music, and white wine, and suddenly everyone loves the Abené stop 😎

Back in The Gambia: we should find out soon if you saw the chimpanzees! 🙂

Hi Christelle. I just discovered your travel journal. Always a pleasure to read you. My husband doesn’t want any more of my trips... the hassles. We live in Spain for five months in the winter. But I’m heading to Korea in April with a friend. I really need to get back to writing travel journals 🤪

That’s wild: a few photos with smiles, sand, music, and white wine, and suddenly everyone loves the Abené stop 😎

Maybe I should’ve stayed in Hosssssgor, Pascale, to get the same effect for less money 😂

Ooooh so happy to see you again Laurence! You sure know how to make yourself missed 😄. And absolutely yes to your travel journals. You must have a ton of them since the end of the Coronamess 😆. There aren’t many participants in the journals right now, but the vibe is really nice (at least for the countries I visit 😊). Hugs

Woke up at dawn this morning for our last day in Casamance.



We biked out to see the rice fields I’d heard about, but they were so well hidden we almost missed them! Ended up a bit like... 🤷‍♂️😅



On the way back, we took the chance to visit the famous sacred tree of Abéné, a massive kapok tree that breaks all records in size!! Spot the Cricri 😅

Then came the dreaded moment: saying goodbye to the "Shudym family," where we were so warmly welcomed by Hadyja, Diatou, Siré, Assan, and Adama.

And I won’t even mention how adorable their little ones are 🥰

This time, I really felt like I was in *Unknown Lands*—you know what I mean—when they said goodbye with teary eyes!!

But it was time to climb into the vacation chariot: a 4x4 with, for the first time, a radio blasting "yoo-hoo!" 🤩😆. And so, to the sound of reggae, we set off down a tiny sand track that wound through some really remote villages.



And since I love dragging out the suspense, you’ll get the rest tomorrow 😉

So, after 40 minutes on this string-thin track, we come across some big puddles that aren’t exactly paradise: "We gotta get down there, we’ve arrived!" 🤪😄



So we weave around to avoid the mud,



and we reach the edge of a river that also serves as a border.

Gambia is right there, just across.



An ancient boat is ready to leave—we’ve got to board quickly... and without avoiding a soaking in that not-so-sterile water 😅



And here we are on the other side, looking for border police when we spot a little barrier at the far end of the village.

Two uniforms are chilling in the shade of a mango tree and stand up when we arrive, trying to pull off a "Miami Vice" vibe with the good cop and bad cop routine! No luck—it’s the grumpy one who takes our passports and flips through the pages loooong and sloooowly 😤🤦.

So Lulu adapted and instead of cracking jokes, he pulled out a few bills! And just like that, as soon as we paid, we got our stamp in no time 😄 (just a few CFA francs, no big deal 😅).

Needless to say, this time, to avoid a 3-hour detour on those terrible roads, we decided peace of mind was priceless 💰!

And it’s with great pleasure that we reunite with Fabakary,



who came to pick us up and take us back to "our" paradise guesthouse.



You’ve got to admit, here, the hours just fly by and nothing’s ever the same 😄



Alright, loves, that’s it for now 😢😘 (and sorry, Pascale—looks like we’ll have to come back to see the chimpanzees 😅).

We hope you enjoyed this totally immersive adventure where the thrill is right outside your door. And in this corner of the world, it’s not just a tourist slogan.

We absolutely loved the overwhelming nature everywhere, the climate where you’re never cold, and of course, the famous TERANGA. ADISHATS to all, and see you somewhere else on the planet! 🌍

This time it's really over! 😏So, once again, thanks for this travel journal that took me to places I’ll probably never go... except maybe Abené, which I’m keeping in the back of my mind 😉

Thanks Christelle for always introducing us to new horizons 😊