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Last week I was lucky to have the opportunity to go on a few site visits up-country.  We packed one long day and managed to visit three volunteers, assess new site options and do a little roadside shopping. Here's a photo album I put together (or click image at right: a trip up-country). 

I should have tallied the number of sheep, goats, cows, and baboons who crossed our path... They did, however, perform true to the popular story Gambians tell about their behavior on the road. For this story you need to know a gelly gelly is the main form of long-distance public transportation in The Gambia (usually a minivan, but larger vans as you go up-country) and they usually have a driver and an apprentice: the guy who collects the fare. Well, the story goes: a sheep, goat and cow were riding on a gelly and each got off at his destination. Now, when you come upon them in the road, they think you are the gelly from their trip. The sheep flees like crazy and runs to the roadside because it never paid the fare to the apprentice and fears you're after him for money! The goat stands in the middle of the road and stares at you because he paid his fare and could really care less about you. He won't budge from the road and you'll just have to swerve around him. The cow, on the other hand, always charges at you in a challenge because you're the apprentice who didn't give him his change!  ("Change is a problem" is a common phrase here --- the double-entendre even made it on to a Peace Corps T-shirt once...)

So, besides all the animals in our path, we had a great day and I learned a lot. It wasn't too unbearably hot and it was actually one of our last dry days before the rains came yesterday, so I look forward to seeing a transformed lush green landscape next time I travel that route. We were mauled by roadside mango-sellers on the way back, which was fun. Also stopped at the market of a typical West African junction town. All-in-all, it was great to get out of the "city" and see more of the country. The photos are probably better than words --- I also pasted together a little video of some of the day's clips...

In other news, today I hugged a snake at a reptile farm (education center for Gambians who are naturally terrified of snakes). I think my expression says it all!