Another Unexpected Adventure

As to be expected when traveling, often, things are unexpected. Senegal has had even more unexpected adventures than most.

We’ve come to realize that Senegalese time is not the same as ours. Things have rarely, and I may even be able to say never, gone according to the plan or the schedule. For example, our plan yesterday was to go to the bird park, come back and change, then go to our host’s home for lunch. We met at nine, but didn’t leave until at least half past. The bird park was about an hour and a half away, and we were going to take a two hour boat trip when we arrived. I’ll give you a moment to do that math…. We ate the best meal yet, our home-cooked lunch, at five.

Today, we were set to leave at ten (more on our amazing village visit on a later post). Around eleven, we got in the car, drove fifteen minutes and then waited at a gas station for about an hour. I should note here, that none of this has seemed to bother the locals. It seems to be the way of life. They are patient, accustomed to waiting, and in no real hurry.

We returned to our hotel this afternoon about five. The plan was the take a boat tour around Saint Louis, then come back, shower and go meet the mayor at eight (yes, a huge honor). As we were walking out the door, we learned the boats were no longer available because we were late and the mayor had used them. (Yes, all the connections felt a bit like a Seinfeld episode, and they’ll continue to.) Then, there was some finagling through our hosts, and they said, “Actually, we can get the boats if we go soon. So, go shower and dressed nicely to meet the mayor and be back in 30 minutes.”

30 minutes later, appropriately dressed for meeting a political official, but probably not a boat ride, we walked out of the hotel. None of us knew what to expect with the boat ride, but I will be honest that the boat looked much do similar to that as the one on Gilligans Island. We all crowded onto the tiny vessel, squished next to each other, and sporting stylish large life jackets. When I sat on the narrow bench, the edge of the boat came not even a half inch above my leg. Now, I am a good swimmer, but I had no desire to fall into this water, where I had just seen a diaper float past. And, remember, I’m dressed to see the mayor at this point. 

The boat began moving, and we enjoyed a lovely ride at close to sunset out past the northern tip of Saint Louis island. At one point, the boat stopped in the water, and our hosts told us that we were very close to the border of Mauritania. We asked if we could just go a little further in the water to say that we had been there. Our host said, “Well, it is rare, but sometimes when you cross into their waters, they shoot you.” We decided we didn’t need to add Mauritania to our lists just yet.

The boat went by a small island we could tell was home to a few fishermen. There were mangrove trees around, creating even more islands. The boat pulled up to the island, and none of us really wanted to get off. Partly due to the fact that we were not expecting to be walking around on the island, and also because getting on and off this narrow boat caused lots of unsteadiness (and leaping off a boat into sand while dressed to see the mayor). But alas, we made it and started walking toward the small village, and noticed that there were no people around. 

Then, we heard clapping. Do you remember how earlier I said that we didn’t get the boats because the mayor had taken them? Well, the mayor was giving a speech to the small village. Technically, he is not the mayor of this island, however, he is also the minister of transportation, and he is the brother-in-law of the current president. In his speech, spoken in Wolof, he promised to bring electricity and running water to the people on this small island. But, as any good politician, he said, “It will not be me who is bringing this, but instead my brother-in-law. Don’t forget to vote for him.”

Our arrival could not go unnoticed. Everyone else was seated and gathered around in a tight circle, when a group of obviously foreigners walked up and started making the children giggle, laugh, point and move closer to us with eager curiosity.

The mayor finished his speech, and as he started making his way back to the boat, our hosts suggested that perhaps he may be taking our boat. We took off, trying to race the mayor. Unfortunately, his entourage beat us to the boat, and they left waving back to the eager crowd on the shore.

Do you remember how I said the boat look liked Gilligans Island? There we stood, on the island, after sunset, with no boat. 

Thankfully, a crowd of a couple dozen kids were overly excited to make our acquaintance. Much of our time together was spent smiling, making faces, pointing and smiling at one another’s jewelry or clothing, and trying to learn simple words from one another in multiple languages. Then, the kids decided to serenade us in an Arabic song. We, deciding we needed to return the favor, singing, to Jim’s brilliant suggestion, “This Land is Your Land.” Serenations

Thankfully, our boat did, in fact return. We, wobbly, and ungracefully, loaded back onto the boat, and made our way back to town. I loved seeing the stars, and spotting the familiar Orion. It always baffles me, but no matter how far from home I wander, he’s always there in the sky. 

We arrived back around 8:30. Remember, we were supposed to meet the mayor at eight. And we took several minutes to go to the restroom, refresh a bit, and were finally on the road to go to his office. We arrived at the mayoral complex several minutes after nine, and were told that he was at his house, but that we were welcome to come visit. So, our convoy of three cars, took off to the outskirts of town to the mayor’s huge piece of property. Huge concrete walls, surrounded a stunning piece of property, complete with arbors, and vines decorating the entryway that led to the pool that was in the middle of two large homes, both his. We were invited into his den, and spread out on the lush couches to talk with him about why we were here in Sénégal. As any great politician, he greeted us with enthusiasm, and incredible teranga considering we were at his home after 9 PM on a Sunday evening. We talked with him for quite some time, and he took time to sign certificates for each one of us, and take pictures with each one of us individually. No matter his agenda, I was honored to be invited into such a high-ranking official’s home and greeted with such hospitality and generosity.

The evening ended with us scrounging for food after we got back after 11 and not having eaten anything since an incredible meal at the vilage for lunch. But, these unexpected moments of incredible opportunities are always a gift, and I’ll gladly skip a meal anytime.