Memories and Lessons: A Solo Trip of The Gambia and Senegal

Two weeks, one backpack, no companions. That was my December solo trip through Senegal and Gambia.

The whole thing ended up being an experience that ranged from the surreal to the sublime. Here are my strongest, resounding memories, as well as the biggest, sometimes boring, travel lessons learned.

6 Lessons Learned

**Lesson 1:** Unless you speak French or Wolof, Senegal is not an easy country to travel around. I went in with no French and a handful of last-minute Wolof lessons with Mor, an online tutor. I had the vague hope it would be enough. It wasn't. The lessons were worth it as I met up with Mor when I was in Dakar, but far too last-minute to make much of an impact.

**Lesson 2:** This ties into my previous point. Learn the Wolof greetings. Simple things: hello ("As-salam-mualykum"), how are you, I'm fine, and so on. In the interactions I had around the country, I felt it was considered impolite if you don't know at least some of these. They'll feel appreciated, you'll feel appreciated.

**Lesson 3:** To stretch my budget, I would have spent less time in Dakar. At the time I travelled, I found Senegal to be way more expensive than Gambia, with Dakar (Senegal's capital) being noticeably more expensive.

10 Snapshot Memories

**Memory 1:** My credit card getting eaten by a machine in the airport within the first 5 minutes of arriving.

**Memory 2:** Walking across Dakar at night for 5 hours to see the African Renaissance Monument lit up at night with Mor (my Wolof tutor who I had a few online lessons with before arriving).

**Memory 3:** Getting on the back of a moto taxi and whipping through Dakar.

**Memory 4:** Flushing the toilet and a frog jumps out.

**Memory 5:** Shoreline fishing for jack fish and barracuda with Maland until dark — in the water and on the rocks. Looking back and seeing the sun setting.

_Written by Thomas Drayton for_ [_African Stays_](https://africanstays.com/blog/solo-travel-lessons-senegal-gambia/)_._

_African Stays is an initiative by Amy Drayton, who is building a log of experiences, places, events and contacts across Africa in collaboration with friends and contributors. The project is intended as a resource for residents as much as visitors, a reference point for how the continent can be lived or travelled away from what is obvious or expected._