Last post

Hello !!

This is probably my last post of the trip.. It's to let you all know that I am now back in the uk safe and sound !

I apologise for the posts this week, they have been a bit out of order and late, I couldn't get the wifi in the hotel to work when posting on here, so I had to send each one to my mom and then she posted it for me. So they did get a little muddled up, but all in all you know what i was doing and that I was okay. 

We landed last night at 9pm and then drove home, I got back to my moms house around 4am this morning. So I am very tired but glad to have got home safe after all the worry with weather and airport closures.

Thank you so much for all your support and prayers the past couple weeks !

I had an amazing time and can't wait to go back ! 

Got to start saving the pennies again !

God bless !

Bye bye x

I'm here !!

Hello all ! 

I am getting ready to go bed now so thought I would start as I mean to go on and do a blog post for today ! 

The wifi is rather poor (it is Gambia!) so I have to sit in the hotel reception to do this.. I feel I may be spending much time here ! 

So the day started at 2.30am this morning when we awoke and began the final stages of packing and coffee drinking. We left the house at 3.30am, half an hour later than we had planned. Traffic was not too bad at all.. For the first 30mins or so we didn't see any other signs of life of the road at all ! Was eerie !

We arrived at gatwick at 5am and headed straight in to the check in area. We checked in around 6am and then I said goodbye to my mommy and we headed up to the departures lounge. Through security.. I was so pleased that none of my piercings set the alarm off. Yey. 

I have never felt more like royalty than when we walked through duty free ! It's crazy .. People trying to get your attention to spray the new fragrances on you, the lights along the ceiling and lining the walkway. Crazy ! 

From there - as the classy girl I am - I headed to mcdonalds for a double sausage and egg muffin ! Yum! 

Then we headed to the boarding gate, boarded the plane and flew 6 hours to The Gambia ! I absolutely love flying and this just confirmed it all the more to me that I adore it ! Take off is still my favourite part :)

We landed at The Gambia, and as it is so small you have to depart the plane down steps, so as soon as you walk off the plane the sun is on you and the heat takes your breath away! 31degrees we walked into today .. Crazy !! We boarded a little bus that took us closer to the airport, I didn't really see the point as it would have been the same amount of time to walk but I guess it's a lovely gesture :) and nice to get out of the sun for a few moments. Then we went through security (they look at your passport photo, say hello how are you, welcome to Gambia) and walked in to the baggage collection. Here there are about 50 Gambian men who want to help you collect your bags and be your friend to get a £1 tip. But they are all lovely and welcoming and it can be difficult to get your bag off the carousel so help is always welcomed. 

I met a young man called Lamin (surprise !! To explain.. In The Gambia the eldest son is always named Lamin. So there are hundreds of men named Lamin) He was very friendly and chatty... And then proceeded to ask me on a date ! To which I politely declined and thanked him anyway. Nice try but that's not my aim for this trip! Haha

We then boarded a 'coach' which took us 20 minutes (Gambian minutes) to our hotel. 

The hotel is lovely, has a swimming pool, a bar, a cafe, shop, beauty place and you can walk straight onto the beach. The beach has beautiful palm tree type trees that sway in the wind and there are many many tropical coloured plants all around the grounds of the hotel. Just lovely !

We had a meal this evening at a restaurant which is 10 minutes walk from the hotel. On the way there we were met by many of the locals who wanted to sell things to us, so we said no thank you but smiled and asked how they were. Everybody is so friendly here that there is no need to be rude at all !!

As we walked along, all we can hear was crickets. So loud !!! 

And on the way back we could hear. Rickets solo loud, and faintly in the distance the sound of African drums ! Oh it was just amazing !

I can't describe the feelings you get while you're out here !! It hasn't quite sinked in yet either... Tomorrow though we are off to meet the children and I am pretty sure it will all sink in then ! I can't wait for what tomorrow will bring ! 

For now... It's bed time ! So, as I lay in bed listening to the sound of the sea outside the window, feeling the sea breeze through the windows I will be praying about all the things God has in store for me !

Btw ... The time difference is the same as the UK so communicating with people will be easy and I will not suffer any jet lag ! Woohoo 

Goodnight from The Gambia ! Xxx

- - turns out I can be a Gambian chef after all ! My domoda tasted the same as the domoda I ate this evening ! Happy Sarah ! Maybe my make-believe plans of opening a coffee shop out here will happen after all ! Hehe - I can dream hey

I'm off to celebrate our last evening in this beautiful country !

Praise god for his blessings and love !

Night all x

Tonight I have ordered beef domoda for me dinner ! Let's see how it compares to my version (people who came to my Gambian evening). Can I make it as a Gambian chef ?? I'll let you know later !

This morning we went to the main school. The nursery were doing their pe exams - they line 5 kids up and then they have to run a certain distance. 1st gets 50 marks, 2nd gets 40 marks, 3rd gets 30 marks and so on. Never have I seen more unfair examinations ! Haha

Some of the girls said to me 'tomorrow I will not be in school because I will be crying too much when you leave' bless their hearts !! If they cry I'm going to cry! I really really don't want to go home ! Just a couple more weeks would be fine if I can't do any longer !

Hey all. Today has been another relaxing day. This morning I went to the nursery school and did some colouring and craft activities with the class. I won't be going back to there again before I leave so had to say goodbye to the teachers - very sad !

This afternoon we had nothing planned. The first week was so full on and busy that now we have relaxing afternoons to unwind a little and enjoy the sun. I did this a little too much today. I have a touch of sun stroke and a very bad migraine ! So please pray that I feel much better tomorrow!

I'm off to bed - sorry that it's such a short update today!

Night night x

• Sarah Neuenhaus

  Monday morning we went to the school in the morning, some people painted classrooms, some did craft activities and I took some photographs. It was quite free - just entertaining the kids all morning which was fun. They ask so many questions and are so funny! Then we came back to the hotel and did a couple hours sunbathing and swimming in the pool. Then we headed to the nursery school, did games and stories with the children from the nearby village. The ladies in the compound with Omar (the baby that really touched my heart last week) remembered me. It was nice I felt like there was a little bond and so I had a little chat with them. It's amazing how we'll they remember your names and faces over here - you meet someone and tell them your name and then a week later they remember you! It's really crazy !
• 

  20:53

  Sarah Neuenhaus

  Today - we wanted to do something a bit different and I've been on the hunt for a photograph. There is a billboard that says 'are you the next millionaire' on it and everyone is placed outside a place that is so run down and dirty. Such a juxtaposition ! I am desperate to get a photograph. So this morning we decided to go on a bird watching tour ! Our tour guide was called 'billoddie' and it was amazing ! I thought it might be a bit boring really but it was so much fun ! We saw doves, vultures, parrots, herons and many more that I can't remember. We tried some natural suncream and found out how the lovely wonjo juice is made. We drink it at breakfast every morning but couldn't work out what fruit it is from .. Turns out it's a plant ! Who knew !! Then we walked along one of the main roads trying to find this billboard. It got so hot so we gave up and turned round. We saw a wedding procession which was so fun! It was a wedding of a white girl and Gambian boy - black and white- and was a huge celebration! So noisey and the cars were all waving tree leves and palm branches out the window ! Then ... As we had almost reached the hotel a van drove behind us with African drum music so loud. I turned round saying 'what is this?' And it was a van covered in the posters that I was trying to find on the billboard ! It just was such a God-incidence !!!!

  This afternoon was very chilled ! Relaxing by the pool, wander round the market to buy presents and then out for dinner. Lovely. Hehe Now I am shattered so going to see what the poolside entertainment is tonight and bed.

  Now you are all up to date with my travels ! I really really don't want to come home !!

  The weather is beautiful - the people are lovely - everything is so relaxed and chilled ! I want to stay !!

  Night night xxx

Sunday morning we went to church at the school. I loved it ! We started at 10.30 - which is the same time my church in the uk starts so it was nice to know that we were all worshipping an praising God together - so many miles apart ! I gave my testimony about how Gambia changed me last time I visited and I think the children liked it. Haha. I got a proposal from one of the older guys at church ! I declined - but said if he had of got down on one knee he would have maybe had a chance ! Hahaha ! He said he would marry me so that I could stay in The Gambia forever because I am beautiful ! Haha so sweet hey!
Then we went to the African village hotel - which is the hotel I stayed at last time I was here. It has changed loads but brought back SO many memories ! I did some batik art which was lots of fun !
Then the best part hehe - we went to the crocodile park ! There were more in there than I remember from before - and they were hiding in trees and things behind us. It was a bit more scary this time I must admit but I did stroke my friend mr croc. And it is true what I said in my presentation (those that came) the water is used as sacred water for infertile women !
Then in the evening we went to a reggae party on the beach ! I won't tell you all the details but we left very very quickly ! That's a story for when I get home peeps sorry !