Gambia Day Two - in which true Gambian life becomes apparent...

We all got up early on the morning of Claire's birthday to a delicious breakfast, including pancakes, danishes, omelettes and traditional English grub! Then we took a walk along the beach and met the Land Rovers at the top. They drove us first to a fire station at Fajara. The fire engines said on them 'Avon Fire Brigade', and the crew were wearing shirts with 'Hampshire Fire Service' on them, as they had been donated from England. They took us up the tower, and we were told that their station was a centre for training fire fighters. We had to mind out all the bird poo dust on the steps - yum! What was strange was the way they asked for our addresses - a theme for the whole week! Then they let us have a go on the pole!
Next we walked along the beach and 'had a go' on a hammock, met the land rovers again and drove to a school. They all sang a song for us which was cute, and Mrs Hardman donated a colours and shapes poster. Then we went to the crocodile pool, and just driving through Bakau made me realise the true squalor people in the Gambia live in. They had open sewers in the street, rusty corrugated iron walls on their houses, and children swarmed the jeeps asking for mints, sweets and pens. I felt guilty that I had none to give. Anyway we visited the croc pool, touched 'Charlie' the croc (though Lauren passed up on that!) and saw a tree with butress roots. Then we headed back to the hotel and went in the pool, sunbathed, and went in the sea before getting ready for Claire's birthday bash! She was so good she didn't open one card until later on! We visited the telephone office so Claire could phone her Mum - that was scary! People staring and asking what hotel we were at! When we got back, Mr Walmsley had decorated the table and bought us wine, and the hotel had provided a MASSIVE cake which even 20 of us couldn't eat! So we took it round the whole restaurant (this was after a few glasses of wine) and offered people a slice! We met some Swedes and some people from Wakefield, so quite a mix! Then we drank the night away!