Dear Francis,

Our Gambian holiday was great; full of a host of new experiences. We shall be happy for you to use any of the following comments you think might be helpful/ interesting for others, on the website.

We can thoroughly recommend the GTS restaurant in Kololi. Though we tried a good range of eating places, we returned there again and again, because of the combination of good quality food at very reasonable prices and the friendly welcome and efficient service offered by the staff.

We enjoyed 3 excursions with GTS - best of all, for me, was definitely the relatively "local" day organised by Kabs, to our own basic choice of itinerary, but with some lovely surprises included! We first visited Bakoteh Lower Basic Primary Annexe, where we were able to deliver some stationery we'd brought and see for ourselves the lack of resources and other difficulties under which the staff and children work.

Then followed an extra unscheduled visit to a neighbouring school where we were privileged to attend the special leaving assembly and presentation for Helen the GTS volunteer worker. It was a happy and moving occasion - her work there had obviously been greatly appreciated!

After a visit to the crocodile pool at Bakau, where we plucked up the courage to touch one of the residents, Kabs guided us round the maze of sights, smells and sounds that is Serrekunda market. While here, Kabs sprang his greatest surprise - he suggested we buy the ingredients for a Gambian meal and then took us back to his compound, where we were introduced to several members of his family and enjoyed preparing, cooking and eating ladyfish benachin.
Many thanks for your friendly hospitality Kabs, we did appreciate it.

We also enjoyed getting right off the beaten track on the trip to Ginak Island , North of the River, driving through a beautiful wilderness with brightly coloured parakeets and other birds flying overhead. Pete was in paradise, as the bird life was everything he had hoped. Even I, a relative non-birdwatcher, could enjoy the variety and gorgeous colours and other types of wild-life. We needed to go no further than local hotel grounds and Bijilo Forest Park to see species ranging from vultures to sunbirds, monkeys to monitor lizards.

As many visitors to The Gambia are bird-watchers, could we suggest that GTS might consider recruiting a host with special skills as a birdwatching guide - we feel there could be quite a market for such excursions. We twice used a young man who lives at the ITC camp in Kololi, who we found very good, and have his details if needed.

As a teacher myself, and having seen the lack of resources in schools, I would like to collect together some more teaching resources/ stationery etc. to send out to The Gambia.

Please can you advise me on the most efficient way of doing this?
If you are in touch with Kabs, please tell him we posted his envelope the day we got back and say we hope his hen is enjoying life with the 2 new "husbands" he found for her while waiting for the ferry at Barra!

Best wishes also to the staff at GTS restaurant.
Also to you and your family of course,
Jean and Pete Beckingham