Alieu, our driver was early! We could set off, as planned, from the shared house in Kanefing at 9.45 a.m. in a very loaded truck. Just when it was absolutely full, Alieu tied on four dining chairs!
Our journey on the south road took us through Brikama and on eastward. We enjoyed two hours of good road; then endured two and a half hours of unmade-up road the rest of the way.
We ate fresh buttered tapalata bread and fruit, drinking water from bottles and bags we had stored in the freezer overnight. After almost four and a half hours, the undulating red soil landscape became lined with electricity pylons, signalling that our destination was close.
Dropping me off was done without ceremony; Sarah had much further to go before nightfall. However despite his other pressures of the day, Alieu ensured that my two ring gas cooker was fully connected and the fridge moved to my place of choice. These two items constitute the kitchen.
As I stood, I slowly took stock of the two roomed house and realised that this was the real start of my Gambian posting. The house is on the northern rural edge of the village, being one of a block of eight. It had been unoccupied for a while and struck me as bleak, dark and unwelcoming. The roof and hence the ceiling inside is corrugated iron. The small front room window and main entrance door are made up of blue metal louvers which restrict much of the light. The brighter backroom is my bedroom. Here the solid metal back door and window shutter can be left open to let in air and light but the mosquito gauzes were in need of a very good brushing. The backdoor opens onto what might be called a yard but is in fact my bathroom. This is where I will bring my plastic tub and bucket for a “bath”. The fixed facility is a hole in the ground toilet. Suddenly I fell into the “slough of despond”. Why on earth had I come here?
I decided that the best course of action was to get busy and fill the “sideboard” in the front room.
Out went all the much used old stuff that I found, together with the cockroach, the droppings (possibly mouse); on went the Dettol, and in went all my newly bought equipment and tinned food. I then set about re- arranging the modest amount of lounge/kitchen furniture and making good use of in situ wall nails to display my African fabric wall hanging and a few good utensils.
Suddenly, Mr Jawneh, my landlord, appeared to help put up the mosquito net and change the light bulb. Before we could start I had to rearrange the bedroom furniture which in total is: one double bed and one large chest of drawers. Decisions, decisions!
When Mr Jawneh left and established volunteer neighbour, Ellie, had been in for another of her many “cheer up chats”, since my arrival, I began to feel better but also felt the sudden “call of nature”.
It was time to brave the hole in the ground outside. The hole is in fact keyhole shaped, situated in the centre of a dome of concrete about 1.3 metres square. Helpfully two footprints are located as markers either side. Using these as my guide I tried out this new facility – and missed!
There will be better days.
