Jo and Lester come to visit

The advent of the new bridge has majorly changed our view of life. The magic green bus travels onto the island and we can now sit all the way to the Kombos. No longer the lingering for the north bank ferry, the painful wait as the gelli gelli fills, the bumpy ride hugging a smelly armpit or two, the precarious journey on an overfilled ferry and then the final bartering for a taxi to reach our destination.



We walked, as if on air, accompanied by Mulai, who ushered us to our seats and organized our bag being thrown onto the roof. We were off to Kombos to meet with Jo and Lester for our holiday. The promise of hot showers, clean toilets and cheese - not even the eight hour bone-crunching journey could daunt our enthusiasm.


The journey was not without it’s stops. Police, immigration and military checkpoints dotted along the route and routine drop off and pick-ups. The goat being loaded onto the bus roof took a while as we listened to his belligerent stampings reverberating through the metal ceiling and the double bamboo bed spied and bought by one eagle eyed passenger caused some pondering – how to get that up. No problem as the ever-helpful Gambians heaved and shoved.


So what does one do on a bus ride of Alton Towers proportions?


I studied heads.


Baseball caps, worn forwards, sideways, backwards, beanie hats sporting varying motifs, bobble hats upon sweated brow, prayer caps with complex embroidery of kabbas and minarets interwoven with symmetrical patters in rainbow threads, straw panamas, woven fulla cones, and that’s just the men.


Women with soft muslin draped gently, starched pleated bows, self matching fabrics wound impossibly with tucks and pushings, wigs of straightened hair with purple streaks, sequined netting glittering beautifully in the light. Hair braided in complicated patterns, tramlines of tight slender plaits squares and swirls embedded in scalps, ended with ribbons and beads or liberated freely from the tight tresses.


My favourite? A dapper man, fluorescent yellow pointed shoes beneath full white African garb sporting a bowler – fashioned from an Asda bag.