Why ? Mickey, the intrepid peace corps volunteer, returned from the jungles of New York and needed a lift to her remote village site in the backwaters of Senegal. Ever the accomodating type, Brett offered to give her a ride. Ewan was dragged along to ensure Brett had company while Mickey spotted for monkeys (and make sure people leave their hotel rooms before evening) Where We left Dakar at 06h30 on Friday morning after a rough night of pool with Kevin (the rough part was all the apologising Mickey had to do regarding our previous pool evening with Grady, but that's another story !) and travelled South East to Mbour. From Mbour we cut across ESE to through Kaolack and on to Tambacounda which is on the point of Gambia (well almost). We then proceeded South West towards Velingara and after a slight detout made it to Kolda at around 17h00. Just before Koalack there is a mission church with a well. Next to it is this enormous spreading tree. To get an idea of the size, the brown dot above the "19" in the "1999" of the date is a full size horse. We have an hunch that this is a fromagerie tree but stand to be corrected. Unlike Dakar, people in the rural areas are always keen to have a photo taken, often leading to pictures like this where the original subject has been swamped. Oh well C'est la vie. Senegal and Gambia are home to several megalithic circles. This village had two, one on either side of the main road. There are many conflicting theories as to the age and purpose of these circles are ; the villagers here assured us that Allah put them in this pattern and so they are sacred and cannot be moved. This is as good a theory as any. The elders of the "Village with the stones", allowed us to take this photo of them relaxing on their bench in the shade. Just after the change of direction at Tambacounda, we crossed over the Great Grey Greasy Gambia river. After getting us lost (due to some ducking and diving to avoid being seen) Mickey told us to be on the lookout for monkeys between Velingara and Kolda. Luckily we didn't follow her methods and saw a troop of really large baboons including an enormous maned male and about 300 m further down the road a troop of monkeys. Needless to say, some people amongst us didn't believe that we had seen them. On the road back to Velingara after a good nights rest (and morning and almost afternoons rest for Mickey and Brett) we saw these colourful fruit sellers on the side of the road. Mickey posing with her drinking china's at her local in Velingara Brett looking for the amp jack. This is the correct way to play a kora. Usually the players are of the Griot caste which is the lowest in the Senegalese caste system. However they are highly respected members of the community fulfilling the role of historians and entertainers. They will change the song to include the name of people listening. On hearing that Ewan did not have a Senegalese name, he was promptly given the name Abdoulhi. We finally made it to Mickey's village the next morning. Here she was welcomed by all with open arms, but especially by the children. Mickey gave us a tour of the village followed by her fan club pictured here. Mickey was however upstaged by the digital camera, where the LCD view of the last picture taken was a great hit amongst the subjects. This little girl begged Ewan to take her picture. She even went and put clothes on the baby she was carrying so he would look better for the shot. However as soon as the camera was aimed, she put on this tearful face. Just past Koalack on the way home we ran into a storm. This is a view of the lowering clouds. It was great from a distance. Once we hit it, driving was absolute hell, with potholes, poor visability and the ubiquitous Alhamdoullillhi's and bush taxis driving at their normal breakneck speed.