I was very impressed, the item started with some beautiful shots along the Gambia's clean and uncluttered beaches and into the hotel featured the Palma Rima, which has the largest pool in Gambia.

All images from BBC's Holidays on a Shoestring - Angel Rippon in The Gambia

A little walk from that hotel is the Atlantic with its warm if a little choppy waters, but Angel took a local Green & Yellow taxi with a local guide to SerraKunda's bustling market and the shots were excellent in showing the diversity of what is on offer.

Then of to Makasutu Forest park where you can get guided walks through the forest, Angela nursed a baby baboon but not many visitors get to do that, then a lazy afternoon in a large dugout canoe, to see a wide variety of the 200 or so bird species in the area.

Saturday and Sunday evenings are wrestling nights in SerraKunda and as opponents are from different tribes this is an event that draws a wide local audience so it is quite an event with lots of drumming and cheering as a champion is found.

Angela practising the Gambian womens art of carrying heavy loads on your head

Having a B&B break provides plenty of opportunity to have a meal at one of the excellent beachbars or at one of the livelier restaurants or bars in Kololi.

The roads are very bumpy so for excursions a 4 wheel drive is the best and Angela explored a little of southern coastal Gambia stopping I think at Tanji to see the fishing, a drive along the beach - Gambia's smoothest highway and finally to a primary school the best part of the trip fro Angela to see the children.

Safari's £30 pp - trip to Makasuto £30 pp

7 nights in November / December with "The Gambia Experience" from £368, the trip to Makusuta was £30.

We hope you were impressed with Angela's account and will consider Gambia as our holiday venue - there is plenty to do and as GTS members we can advise on all the activities available as well as visits to May's paper mill the first small paper recycling plant in The Gambia and maybe a school where we children sponsored with your membership money.

A warm welcome at a Gambian school

You can visit our information centre in Kololi and eat and drink at the restaurant we are sponsoring. We look forward to meeting off the plane and taking you to your hotel - so your holiday really does begin as soon as you arrive, with none of the hussle and bustle of coach transfers and packed hotel lobbies.

You'll get a great welcome from Gambia Tourist Support.

All images from the BBC's - 'Holidays on a Shoestring'