2008 April West Africa The Gambia

Everytime I look at this photo, 

it makes me smile, regardless of any stress I might have at that moment.

These are 3-4 year old boys we met in Bakau , real cheeky ones.

They never bother you with asking for sweet or anything else,

can't even say 'Hello!', unlike little boys begging in touristy areas.

This photo was taken when I showed their picture on the camera.

After showing the film I took them, they even go into competition of whose face is the biggest and whose smile is the biggest.

Watching their innocent big smiles and giggles despite of poverty,

the thought of what we could do for these children came to my mind.

 Sounds like the Sahara is expending towards more and more south at the moment.

Never thought of it as anything near our life before until I read an article about it.

 Before the desert expanded to much further south as it is,

the people in the region were managing okay with enough green areas to feed themselves.

But as time goes, cultivatable land becomes more scarce, 

so people are pushed out of their land which starts conflict in the region.

Surely it's not the only reason for conflicts there but it certainly causes tension.

Genocide, civil wars in Africa sound so far away from everyday life.

It just feels like another world,  but being here in an African country, 

though this country is far luckier than others because of stability, etc,

makes me think that those stories are not somewhere in anther planet,

 but right here, where we often choose to ignore.

One of the reasons for the desert to expand is believed to be down to the developed countries.

All the energy hungry life style we have, 

e.g. cars, gas, electricity, so much consumption and waste of goods and foods....

yes, we are adding to other peoples' suffering.

He was curious of us on the street of Bakau, 

but couldn't quite make to near us but just hanging around.

A girl attacted by loud laugh and giggles from the boys with the camera.

Outside tourist resort area, it's so easy to see local children with full of curiosity.

This girl seems like she's been looking after younger siblings for ages.

Ellie, not quite two years back then, was happily on her back for a long time.

After lunch at this local restaurant, 

all the children are gathered to take a group photo.

School children we happen to see when passing Brimkama.

They were out here to greet the president and waiting for him to pass.

It was pretty intensely hot day without much shade, 

so it would've been good if everything happened soon.

It reminded of my childhood back in Korea that we had to do the same.

One on hand, it was exciting to get out of school with friends during lesson time,

but it didn't mean much as we didn't know or respect the president much at all.

On the way back from school.

This little girl was about 18 month old, 

whose mother was selling food just ouside a resort hotel.

She already well developed to have social skills to deal with her mum's business.

Nearly same age as Ellie, yet she seemed to have grown up much faster than our own.

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Practical information on The Gambia.

Cheap package holiday destination from the UK was 

250 pounds per person in April 

with flight(flythomascook) + b &b hotel room 5 min from beach.

The hotel is 3 star typical cheap resort for mainly British and some other European tourists.

Food is okay, the rooms can be better but at least cleaned everyday.

Walking along the beach can be a bit of hassle from touts but not too bad.

The beach was ok but quite rough for relaxing swim.

Sightseeing can be done through organised tour 

but easy to do it by ourselves with guide book.

Hail a bush taxi(used as small bus), slightly away from the hotel gate, 

and make sure to say the name of the destination clearly and

 loud enough so that everybody on the bus knows where you are going.

Locals are helpful and easy enough to navigate around.

Just remember the name of hotel or the name of area where you are staying, 

so that you can catch a tourist taxi back if get lost.