22 January 2009 - The Bath Chronicle - Rupert Hall
Just one short flight from Bristol and Rupert Hall leaves the winter chill behind him and steps into the warm, friendly and exotic world that is Gambia.
At the age of 27 I like to think I’m well travelled after having driven across Europe, watched the New York skyline from the Empire State Building and camped at the foot of one of the largest mountain ranges in the Swiss Alps.
But none of this could have prepared me for my first taste of Africa, the Gambia.
It was a cold and dreary November morning when we stepped on to the plane at Bristol International Airport but one in-flight movie and a few hours snoozing later it was clear the big coats and sweaters we had used to fight the British weather belonged very much back at home.
It was only a short flight but it really felt as though we were in another world. Just six hours from Bristol lies a brilliant introduction to Africa with a consistently warm climate averaging daytime temperatures of around 30°C between July and September dropping to 24°C from December to mid February.
The strength of Gambian hospitality is also something which takes a little getting used to after having stayed in some of the world’s faceless chain hotels. Nothing was too much trouble,from the sometimes unnervingly friendly staff at the four star
Corinthia Atlantic Hotel to our hilarious guide Mucki.
Ours was a five-day trip but prices for a seven night stay at the Corinthia Atlantic start from £399 including flights and bed and breakfast leaving from Bristol International Airport.
Hospitality definitely defined our trip from the start. Being the intelligent male that I am I was pleased to have packed everything into one small bag. The only problem was I had forgotten to pack any sandals, an essential item when walking in the African heat. In Gambia this was not a problem and 50 Dalasis (about £1.20) and about three minutes later Mucki
re-appeared brandishing a pair of flip flops which were of course a perfect fit.
Gambia was a former British colony and English is now the official language despite the fact that the country, which is on the western coast of tropical Africa, is made up of eight different tribes each with their own traditions and language.
Our tour took in a trip to an eco-friendly retreat being built by a British couple with the help of a local community on Gambia’s south coast.
The Sandele Bay Eco Retreat has been designed to use environmentally friendly building techniques and the skills of local
craftsmen with a view to handing the whole resort over to the people of adjacent community Kartong in 25 years’ time.
Sandele features four suites with a further six planned for 2009, each with their own private cabana on the beach with a washroom, day bed and sunbathing deck. Later that day we were taken to meet another enterprising British duo, James English and Lawrence Williams, who have created an award-winning eco-resort of riverside lodges which provides
work for 250 members of the local community in an area which was facing the lack of income and education blighting so many of Africa’s poorest people. And rather than take the traditional road to the resort we piled into two dug-out canoes and
followed the river which turned out to be a great way to see some of Gambia’s famous 560 species of birds.
After watching the sunset over the river we were also treated to a series of traditional dance displays by some of the most colourful local tribes.
The Corinthia Atlantic is about a ten-minute walk from the main marketplace of the Gambian capital Banjul. This was an incredible experience but one that must be done with guides who know the unwritten rules of survival and bagging a
bargain in the market. Banjul’s market is a thrill ride for the senses with an amazing array of fresh fish and meats alongside locally produced clothing and crafts and the odd David Beckham T-shirt. But by the time the midday heat was upon us we took the short walk back to the hotel to rest with the occasional dip in the pool from which it was also easy to see the Atlantic lapping at the beach.
Although it has been an independent nation for more than 40 years, Gambia is still developing and late last year saw the
construction of one of the country’s most ambitious hotel resorts. The Coco Ocean Resort and Spa brings a whole new definition to the word luxury. With domes and arches and 24 suites and penthouses each overlooking a series of three tiered
swimming pools linked by fountains and flowing streams this really is hotel accommodation on a palatial scale.
The majority of rooms have sea views and four of the royal suites have their own private plunge pools. Coco Ocean took its first guests in December 2008 but logic would dictate its popularity should explode as few could fail to be stunned by its
jaw dropping beauty. Of course all this grandeur made getting on the plane to come home even harder but, like countless
others who experience Africa, I’m sure this will not be the last time I swap the winter coat and gloves for my Gambian sandals.
