As soon as you cross the Senegal river, you just know that you have left Arabic Africa behind! Here it is , the real Africa! The women are more outgoing, the colours more vibrant, the music louder, and the men more flirtier than in Mauritania. The police man at the border, asked blatantly for a “tip”! He made a mistake in his book, for which he wanted me to pay! Then he stamped my passport with the wrong date, and asked for money to fix it! He was determined, but never met a more stubborn bitch then me! I don’t pay at border crossings, not now and not ever! He let me go when I did my so called “mama mia ” act! Ask my children what I mean by that! Playing the drama queen BIG time. He ended up laughing and letting me go. It was a delight to all the senses to be in Senegal. In Mauritania, the people in general are quite timid and rather shy. The women don’t speak to you at all, and the men are soft spoken and very helpful without wanting anything else in return. Not so in Senegal!! The people are outgoing, loud and very, very colourful! They still want to help you , to take you where you want to go, or not want to go! In Saint Louis it all became a bit much. I actually got cranky once! Oops! I have now recognised that this means I must stop moving for a few days. Can’t travel as I used to do in Latin America any more. Funny that! I need a big break every second or third day! I went to Dakar, where I stayed in a lovely hotel on the foreshore, with a private beach. The idea being that you wouldn’t get hassled by the millions of sellers! Didn’t really work, but once in a while the boss lady would yell out of the window and all the sellers would scatter, only to return five minutes later! I met a gorgeous woman from Barcelona, Magdalena. We had great fun together. Visited the island of Goree. If I had know it was so gorgeous there I would have stayed on the island and make hundreds of watercourse. As it was I went for the day and did nothing! Told you I am getting lazy! After Dakar I went further south. Found a little hide away paradise. A small island near the border of The Gambia. You have to take a boat, then a donkey cart. Finally you come to this little village. It is build like an African village. Straw huts, solar heated water. Mm bathroom was under the stars. It was absolute bliss. Warm water for swimming. Free kayaking. Mangrove walks. I saw so many birds typical for Senegal. And I saw my very first monkeys!! Green monkeys they are called for some reason or other. Wonderful. I also heard and saw the footprints of hyenas and jackals. I laughed a lot. Swam a lot and became fully relaxed. Nobody trying to sell anything at all! Bliss! A shame there was a booking for over 40 people for the weekend, and I was forced to go on! The border to The Gambia was only 20 kilometers down the road, so that is where I went next.