Senegal and Gambia 2010 bike tour - África

SENEGAL Y GAMBIA, 'AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE'

If there has been a travel where a fact or an event has determined the normal development o it, that was Senegal and Gambia trip. A contaminated tea in Langue de Barbarie National Park was the most likely cause of my typhoid fever contagion, a disease produced by the bacterium Salmonella typhi, which kills around 200,000 people per year. I started feeling first symptoms the following day, heading the Dijoudj National Bird Sanctuary. What firstly looked like a simple diarrhoea, it ended up in fever over 40 Celsius degrees two days past. After five days, having been in Saint Louis public Hospital to test negative for malaria, and having visited a private doctor who diagnosed me with gastroenteritis, I was still running fever and my body temperature was too high.

Fate made that, during those days of waiting, uncertainty and uneasiness having no improvement, Raquel and Luis met a couple from Guadalajara. She worked at Soaint Louis University as a French teacher and he took care of little Mauro and made some carpentry works. They recommended us to visit N'Diaye Clinic. That afternoon I was hospitalized and diagnosed with typhoid fever.

At the beginning I could not believe it, my international vacinnation card showed typhoid fever´s vaccine (Vivotif). The doctor explained us that such vaccine worked as prophylasis for some strains but we were unprotected against most of the strains of this fever. I was hospitalized four longer days. Suffice it to say I counted on Luis´patience and comprenhension, while Raquel´s selfless cares. Besides, I recieved a large amount of medication making my recovery faster than expected.

After thirteen days in St. Louis, once I got the disease and lived and unforgettable experience, we went on our trip towards South.

Senegal: Valid passport for six months at least since the entry in the country. It was not necessary a visa in 2009 but since first July, 2013 it is (50 Euros).

Gambia: Valid passport for six months at least since the entry. If you gain access to Gambia by air it will not be necessary visa. Otherwise, you need it (50 Euros). Two ID photos.

We have heard about Gambia police and so we could check it when we arrived at the Amdlalai border post. Besides the amount of money we paid for the visa, the police officer who attended us wanted a 'beer tip'. We refuse to pay claiming we had little money as we travelled on bike.

Suffice it to say you must extreme precautions with your hydration and diet. Drink always bottling water, check bottles have not been refilled and, never do have drinks with ice cubes.

In case you take a piece of fruit, check the skin is in good conditions, wash it and peel it by yourself.

To avoid mosquito bites apply on all exposed areas of your skin anti mosquito repellent. The repellent must include DEET (N-N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide).

Wear light colour clothes, if possible not shorts and, long sleeves. Avoid perfumes, aftershaves and use mosquito net with repellent.

Use antiseptics and hand disinfectants regularly, so as sunscreen.

In the following link: Ministry of foreign affairs and cooperation (Spain), you can find daily updated information about country travel advice.