THE COUNTRY OF THE BAOBAB: My trip in Senegal

After 18 days in Polynesia money in November and the holidays were still very few but the winter is long and we do not have survived and we share payable dovendoci satisfy but one week and in a fairly economical. The choice fell on Senegal. Having wanted to relax in the sun, we have chosen a village on the coast and more specifically, to the Flying Club, or Royal Saly and then we did some hiking in order to see as much as possible in this country.
Useful Travel Info:
Tours booked through Blue Holidays - Tour Operator: Flying
Full board at Hotel Royal Saly in Saly Portudal
I'm not much for formulas, however, the club is really nice hotel, the rooms are huge and pretty. Excellent cleaning, a little 'less cooking. The beach in front of the hotel is very nice and the sea while the ocean is very calm and clear although the temperature, at least in the period when we went we were very low.
The excursions are flying by and many very interesting then you may wish to do something every day even if it is not very convenient from a financial point of view.

 

4.00 hrs .... at the airport much earlier than expected because fortunately there? was so much fog and we have not had any major problems.
We can only await the time of check in uncomfortable chairs in the nap room groups sipping coffee, chocolate and anything else we can find to stay awake.
Finally comes the hour of departure and lift-off occurs more or less on time.
After about 5 hours and a half we arrive at the airport of Dakar and go through customs go out there and join the group of flying.
The first thing that struck me coming in Senegal was the fresh air, not the humid heat that one can imagine thinking of Africa but of course you must think that it's winter here and Dakar is on the Atlantic coast and more ventilated and mild . During the trip by bus to reach Saly finally beginning to realize that Africa is left when the traffic of the city we are in the middle of the savannah in an infinite expanse of baobab ... a truly unique spectacle!
After a couple of hours bus through a rather barren and desolate arrive in the small seaside resort of Saly Portudal. The first impression is not the best ... perhaps because we were expecting something different, more tourism, more modern, I do not know .... but it is usually not what we are trying so that is good because we are in Africa mica in Riccione!
Saly is little more than a village with several hotels, some shops, a casino, pub, restaurant somewhere, piles of dirt here and there. In a corner between two roads, there are goats and donkeys who are seeking something to eat between the waste and the few ciuffetti grass and brambles that there are.
Our hotel, the Royal Saly is very nice, new, very well kept, consisting of several buildings to two floors sown in a large and beautiful garden, very green and well cared for. The rooms are also very beautiful and very large. The duplex (where we were) are actually on two floors with two beds to the floor below and two upstairs, one bathroom and two terraces.
After we arranged a look around, close to us c? Is the reception and just above the restaurant, bar and pool, there is at l? Amphitheater where are the evening shows, and the beach with loungers and umbrellas and volleyball.
The sea is calmissimo not seem even the ocean but the water is cold!
The beach is beautiful and very long. You can make endless walks ... it is just the place for Cristina, who usually walk for several hours all the Saints days!
Towards evening we leave the hotel and take a trip to the country, of course we now? Beset? from local people who want to sell us something but we are tired (at the bottom of almost 2 days that do not sleep!) and we are not just in the mood to bargain nor to converse in English or French who barely speak in normal !
We see that there are some shops along the street and about half of the country there is a kind of market with lots of shops all the local souvenirs and handicrafts, unfortunately, is somewhat 'late and are already putting away then back at the hotel.
Immediately we realize that the temperature continues to fall and dinner, we all a beastly cold. Maybe it will be tired! Hopefully .... we should go to lettto and hope that tomorrow will be warmer.

In the following days we realize that was not fatigue to make us feel the cold the first night but the climate of that time! Although during the day was fine, but it was definitely hot, till the morning 10,30-11,00 and 17,30-18,00 after the temperature was significantly lower or at least so it seemed likely to blame of the strong cold wind that blew from the sea.
The only flaw that we found our hotel was precisely that of not having even a closed room or at least well-sheltered from the wind where you can spend the evenings and dine in peace without having to wear with everything we had in the bag. The restaurant and bar were in fact only the roof and walls on one side while on the other hand there are only columns are both very high and very ventilated. The same thing goes for the reception and the amphitheater, where performances are held, even without a roof and see the evening entertainment was a tough race!
After a couple of days relaxing on the beach our desire to know the place and see some? Africa really pushed us to take part in at least a couple of excursions that you tell the next chapter and then again with a heavy heart it is time to go home. Meanwhile in Italy had snowed a lot and everywhere we were a little? concerned about the trip by car to the house but fortunately the roads were clean and we have not had any problems.


Excursions:
The first that we did was a trip that first took us to visit a local market very beautiful and colorful then we direct the Pink Lake where we left the bus and took the jeep 4x4 with which we have traveled the perimeter of the lake and surrounding areas (which in the cold box seats behind the pick-up!) until you reach a small village that we visited, the beautiful and deserted beaches lapped by high ocean waves and white sand dunes where culminating Paris -Dakar. We lunched in a restaurant near the lake and then we made a small break for those who wanted to try the experience of swimming in water of Lake salatissima Rosa. It 'been a good trip but even more beautiful was the one we made on Wednesday. We left the hotel on a 6x6 off-road trucks have crossed Mbour and its market and then we were directed off the track in the middle of the savannah, watching the baobab-old including a 37 meter circle within which we could also enter. We stopped from time to time to visit some of the hut and some local camp of nomads, leaving them a little 'food and soap we had purchased previously.
Here I was able to take beautiful photos of a beautiful children of all ages, some a few months attached to the back of the mother to other children but still more beautiful, then we visited a school where I left a backpack full of blocks to be written, pens , chalks, markers and even a spot brought from home. Finally, we direct the Saloum delta, where we took a short boat ride. After lunch we traveled for a while 'the bush, admired the giant termitai, other villages and finally the day was passing by Joal-Fadiouth with a stop at the port to see the return of the fishermen at sunset. As I have said a hike was very beautiful that allowed us to see some 'of the true face of Senegal and its inhabitants. Their way of life, their poverty and their culture, the beautiful faces and smiles of many children we have met are the things we take forever in our hearts. Also this time sickness africa although in a more mild than usual has been felt, so I really hope to return soon.
HELLO AFRICA .... THE NEXT ADVENTURE ....