Early October- So, I booked my ticket to Gambia and secured my hotel. I have my Visa and all appropriate COVID-19 documents are ready to go. I plan to stay for a couple of weeks. I really want to see what this is all about. Is Africa like what we’ve been told all these years?
November- As time gets nearer, my anxiety has definitely done a number on me. I’ve had to leave a bunch of things till I arrive in Gambia- tourist activities, decisions about land purchase & business licenses, etc. Oh, and I need to determine if I like the place, oh, yeah. 😂
I’ve put a bunch of things in motion, so this is a definite leap of faith for me. What if I hate it and everyone is crazier than me? Ugh, if I hate it, 2 weeks in a horrible place is gonna be a mess. Traveling during Covid times makes travel pretty restrictive- I can only come back to the US- I won’t be able to go to another country and chillax the rest of my time without possible negative repercussions. Welp, time to put on a happy face…
The day of the trip- I’ve gotten my shots updated and all my stuff is ready. My COVID-19 test is negative and I have several copies. Why am I having a near anxiety attack? It’s the unknown & I’m a control freak, oh yeah…
Getting through the 24-hour flight process went smoothly. No hiccups till I landed in Brussels for my 8-hour layover. Only a Starbucks was open and all of us were herded to a gate for document verification. I really didn’t like the way Brussels Airlines behaved towards the African passengers, it was super condescending and rude. I will avoid Brussels Airlines in the future. I’ve never seen flight attendants yell at passengers for absolutely no reason in my entire life. Wow. Please note- flights to Africa from the US are some of the most expensive flights available. It’s cheaper to go to China, honestly. SMH.
Once I landed in The Gambia, I already had my Visa, so I figured I would quickly get through the un-air conditioned airport. Nope. They showed us pretty quickly how corruption works- $20 fee for everyone (regardless of currency) before you could go through customs. Joy. Customs was a breeze, but baggage claim? It looked like a flea market on a Saturday. Folks were about to fight the customs control agents cuz they forgot their luggage receipts. Lots of money being slipped into pockets. I chuckled & sweat, shook my head, then sweat some more… The whole thing took about 90 mins. I had pre-arranged for my hotel to pick me up, so there he was- waiting for me with a sign with my name on it. Whoot! I was officially in The Gambia!!
I arrived at the hotel and was still pretty anxious. Africa was nothing like I was told. It was lush and green and folks spoke English clearly. It kinda threw me off… my first full day was spent meeting the other expats in the hotel, hanging at the beach, and learning how to take a taxi. Big milestones, I tell ya! If you don’t like to haggle, this isn’t the place for you! I found out the real cost of things and just kept repeating how much I would pay, louder until the poor person acquiesced. 😂
Things are a lot like the US here- you have your poor folks and rich folks. Everyone is trying to make a dollar. However, there have been some super-friendly people who honestly want to make your life easier by giving advice or pushing you in the right direction. I was humbled by some of the locals sincerity & openness in receiving me. The expat/repatriated folks are sooo cool! I’m sure I’ve made some lifelong friends!
I’ve done a mix of business and touristy stuff here on this trip- permits and red-tape are ridiculous. Then, the chore of finding credible craftspeople to do the work is fraught with inconsistency. I’m muddling through the best I can… Hopefully, by my next visit in a few months, I’ll be in a better position to see improvements.
Stay tuned- I’ll keep you posted on all the new developments. Feel free to comment & ask questions below!
