14 April 2011 - Essex Chronicle - Lynn Storey-Smith
Just a six hour flight from Gatwick, the smallest country on mainland Africa offers a sub-tropical climate, cultural experience and a warm welcome. What’s more, there’s no time difference from the UK so there’s no jetlag making even a week’s stay in The Gambia, a relaxing option for a quick fix of winter sun.
They call it the Smiling Coast of Africa and yes, it might be a slick marketing phrase dreamed up by the tourism authority, but nevertheless, it’s an accurate description.
A walk along the beach or just from my room through the gardens to the hotel reception never passed without a cheerful greeting: “Hello, how are you? What do think of The Gambia?” Soon I discovered that this sunny disposition wasn’t confined to the coastal, tourist areas around Kombo Beach Hotel where I spent four nights; the further we went off the beaten track, the greater the enthusiasm and the bigger the smiles.
As our 4x4 safari truck lurched its way down dusty, rutted tracks and we tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to dodge the branches of the cashew trees lashing out at us through the open sides, crowds of children appeared and ran alongside waving and calling out to us. Adults too, stopped and greeted us politely and it became obvious that hospitality is as deeply ingrained in the Gambian culture as is the refreshing scent of wild mint in the fertile Gambian countryside.
When we climbed down from the truck we were in Makasutu Forest, a wonderful ecological and cultural project, where we met up with its joint founder, Englishman, Lawrence Williams who first came to The Gambia in 1992. His original plan to build a surf camp on the beach was scrapped when he realised that despite the Atlantic Ocean edging the coastline, there’s no real surf.
He was travelling around the country with his business partner, James English, when they came across Makasutu which means Holy Forest and decided to buy four acres of land on a bend in the river with the idea of building a small lodge for back-packers. As we glided along the river in a small boat, he explained how this modest venture grew. “We went to the UK for a couple of months and when we arrived back we found that about 200 palm trees had been cut down on the land surrounding ours,” he said. “We met with the tribal owners of the land and they suggested that if we wanted to protect the area, we could buy it and fence it all off. That’s how our four acres became the 1,750 we now look after!” Our boat passed by two of the lodges now on offer to tourists here in Makasutu. All built with local materials, the Mandina Lodges number just eight in total, some set back from the river and some floating on the water or raised over it on stilts. As part of a twin centre holiday, you can opt to spend three or more days in the tranquil setting of Mandina just relaxing by the pool, birdwatching, fishing or exploring the forest where as I discovered first hand, you can unexpectedly come across a family of baboons.
More than 15 years of hard work dedicated to protecting the forest and the surrounding Ballabu area has resulted in widespread recognition and several prestigious eco-tourism awards for Lawrence and James. The latest venture to come to fruition was the focus of our trip downstream. From October 12 to 26 last year, just a few days before our arrival, the Wide Open Walls project had turned the village of Kubuneh into a work of art created by eight of the world’s leading street artists working in cooperation with the community. As I hopped off the boat and balanced precariously on a narrow log to reach the sandy riverbank, the first images came into view. Standing in the shade of a tree and taking care not to walk on any of the tiny crabs busily digging in and popping out of the muddy sand, I could make out an animal, possibly an antelope, painted on the wall.
A fan of graffiti and a keen artist himself, Lawrence went to art college before studying architecture then film and television set design at university. “About a year ago, I sent a late-night beer-inspired email to the website of one of my favourite artists, Eelus, telling him about the idea I had to turn a Gambian village into a living art project,” said Lawrence. Eelus replied and got behind it, taking part and helping to bring the vision to reality.
Our arrival in the village caused some excitement among the children especially when one of my companions produced a packet of mints. They walked with us as we discovered art on the walls of buildings including homes and the school, and even on trees. Figures and faces, lettering. landscapes, abstract patterns, birds, animals, and strange human/animal hybrids were all portrayed in a variety of styles.
Now the aim is to turn the Wide Open Walls project into an annual event encouraging art enthusiasts to watch the work in progress at another of the local villages. There are also plans to run excursions in the area including a tour of Kubuneh with an entrance fee so the village will benefit directly.
For tourists who want to explore beyond the confines of their hotel, there are numerous excursions which offer the
opportunity to see more of the country while benefiting the local population. Our excursions were organised by West African Tours whose guide Mucki provided us with a great insight into the culture and customs and imparted his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Gambian whenever the chance arose.
Our four wheel drive adventure included visits to a primary school where we learned about the education system and were entertained by the children singing, then to a compound where saw how a typical extended family lives and farms the land. Lunch was a barbecue served at a beach bar on a wide sandy beach miles from the tourist
areas, followed by a swim in the ocean or a snooze in a hammock. Now that’s relaxation.
Factfile
The writer was a guest of The Gambia Experience. Accommodation was at the Kombo Beach Hotel, a 4
grade hotel ( www. gambia.co.uk/kombo). Excursions are bookable locally with West African Tours through hotel reps. For more details and other hotel options, call The Gambia Experience on 0845
330 2087 or visit www. gambia.co.uk
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