Thanks for the video Eddie. I can relate to most of the places in the video having visited Gambia on 4 different occasions from Zimbabwe. It is unfortunate that some people have negative comments and speculations about this beautiful country, what I can call an African Odyssey.
Heel mooi filmpje. Zo herkenbaar allemaal, wij gaan over 2 weken naar Baobab voor de 3e keer. Wij gaan nu nog verder de binnenlanden in en blijven daar ook overnachten.
What is a problem? I put a nice comment under this movie only someone accused me, I do not know the name of the country. I wrote I know. If you don't like my words you can delate it all. I don't care.
Prachtig, wat een mooie impressie van the Gambia. Onze vakantie is over 17 dagen. Wij gaan naar Hotel Kombo Beach. Onze 1e keer dat wij er heen gaan. Ik hoop dat we ook mooie films en foto's kunnen maken.
Ik wens jullie een hele fijne vakantie. Geniet van het bijzondere land! Wij vertrekken binnenkort naar Ecuador en de Galapagos eilanden, waarschijnlijk weer een hele andere ervaring.
Echt heel erg leuk en goed gedaan! informatief, en die mensen die niet gefilmd willen worden, tja, die houd je altijd, je intenties zijn gewoon goed, jullie zijn mooie en fijne mensen zo te zien en horen op de video!! ik heb er nu nog meer zin in om n maart naar Kotu te gaan! Dank jullie wel dat jullie dit online hebben gezet het heeft mij weer wat meer inzicht gegeven! :)
Ik heb zo mijn twijfels met reizen naar dit land. Over veiligheid absoluut niet, want daarover hoor ik geen negatieve verhalen. Wat is het weer in de winter, en is het het geld waard? Is de zee "zwembaar" ?
Thanks for the video. I liked to watch it. You are showing from different places, what people are doing , and nature. Are you taken malaria medication or other things when you go there?
Re. malaria medication, when I was in The Gambia, many of the local people I met had lost a family member to malaria, and they have a better resistance to it than Caucasians. Last year an English couple who own a compound in The Gambia and who visit every year, went there as usual, and did not take any malaria medication. Both caught malaria and the wife died (in a hospital back in the UK). I know Eddie says his daughter (the doctor) claims that the medication is worse than the illness, but - with all due respect - I think that is nonsense. Malaria is an awful illness to have, and it can kill you. How can the medication be worse than that?! There is one particular drug, Lariam, which can cause terrible side effects, but just don't choose that one! Malarone is great (no-one seems to experience any side effects with this one). I've used it every time I've visited a malarial zone, with no ill effects. Great video, by the way, Eddie. Really enjoyed it. I've watched it a few times, as a way of 'revisiting' the place! I think it really showcases nicely what The Gambia has to offer to a foreign visitor.
Wow! I haven`t been in here since July! Thanks for your both replies :-) I would chosen medication for sure if there is malaria. And I am not sure I would be brave enough to visit yet... I also know people who have got very sick of malaria. And also know a norwegian student in Tanzania who took medication very carefully, but still died. It´s very different from my country so I would like to see it.
How did u go about booking this trip? I am trying to book a vacation to west Africa for the 2015 summer and needed a few tips on how to do that! Thanks! Great video!
Hallo eddie, Ik ga deze zomer met mij vriend ook naar gambia en ook naar hetzelfde hotel! Nou ben ik fotografie student en ik wil daar ook gaan fotograferen en filmen, maar vinden mensen dat heel vervelend daar? heb je daar zelf problemen mee gekregen of valt het wel mee? en zijn er nog dingen misschien waar je ons voor kunt waarschuwen?:) bedankt! en leuke film! ik krijg nu een goede impressie:)
The people in the video were telling you to stop taping. Why did you guys completely ignore them? The market people were clearly telling you to stop. I don't understand
Dear Suna Njie. Thank you for your comment. Al lot of times I stopped recording, because I want to respect all people. But I also wanted to make a video about life in Gambia, to make tourists interested in that beautifull country. Sometimes I tried to explain my meenings to that people and than they really understood. Also I several times asked my guide if I did wrong, but he also explained the people my meenings. Maybe I recorderd a bit to much? Sorry then for that. I made the video with te best meenings. With all respect for the people of Gambia. Regards, Eddie
So why did you completely ignore that fact they were clearly using a swear word and with disrespect. What's wrong with telling someone nicely that you don't want to be filmed? Being nasty and disrespectful is not how Gambia works and i'm sure you well know that.
I allready explained several times the reason I recorderd that. Read other comments and answers. I really wanted to be respectfull. Here I stop this conversation, I can't answer again and again. Regards, Eddie
i know Im randomly asking but does someone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb lost my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me
@Brooks Tyler i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and im in the hacking process atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Thanks for the film Eddie, I am seriously considering taking my family to Gambia now, I have been a little nervous about visiting Africa as it is such a troubled part of the world at the moment, however the people here seem very friendly and welcoming. Who was the man that was showing you around? Can you hire guides whilst you are there? Some of the comments on this page are a little confusing, It sounds from some people that they would not want Europeans to visit, or maybe I am just misinterpreting them Thanks again, really well made film.
Hello Nigel. I visited The Gambia in 2008, had a wonderful time, and have taken a keen interest in the country ever since. (I stayed in a compound with local people, as opposed to in a hotel.) I understand your concerns about Africa, but I want to reassure you that The Gambia is very safe, with a very low crime rate. Violent crime is rare (unlike in the UK). The Gambia is, I would say, the 'easiest' African country to visit for all sorts of reasons. You are highly unlikely to be caught up in any kind of trouble flare up. There are none of the ethnic tensions between different tribes that exist in other parts of Africa, and people of different religions live harmoniously side by side. ...I met four young men from three different tribes who had all moved from villages to the town for work purposes, and they all shared a room together and were the best of friends. And that's the norm. I was there on December 25th (it's a Muslim country) and several Gambian Muslims called out 'Happy Christmas' with warm smiles (because I'm white, they assumed I was Christian) when they saw me in the street. The people were lovely, and I felt very safe there. I recommend that you do a bit of research on the Internet, because there are certain things that you need to know to avoid when you are there. For example, avoid any mention of homosexuality - the president has previously declared that he will "cut off the heads" of any homosexuals, so you simply can't say things like "I don't have any objection to gay marriage, myself" in The Gambia, and never ask local people what they think of their president (unless you have got to know them well, and you are somewhere where there is no-one else around to overhear), or say anything critical of him yourself (it could land you in jail). I'm not trying to put you off, but you need to bear in mind that the country is under a dictatorship and there is no such thing as Freedom of Speech. Since President Jammeh withdrew The Gambia from The British Commonwealth last year, he has been broadcasting anti-English rhetoric on state TV and radio, so this may have invoked some hostility amongst the Gambian population towards the British... but from comments I've read on other sites, from English people who have been to The Gambia in recent months, they were saying that they had a wonderful time, people were so friendly and welcoming, and they couldn't wait to go back. Don't forget to book an appointment with the Travel Nurse at your GP surgery in good time, in order to get any vaccinations you need. (You have to have a certificate to show that you have had a Yellow Fever vaccination or they won't let you into the country.) Re. malaria prophylaxis, I strongly recommend Malarone (no side effects). Do NOT choose Lariam (google it for the horror stories). I would avoid staying in the Senegambia strip, where you get all the hard drinking Brits abroad types and sex tourists (I went through there in a taxi on my way to somewhere else, and didn't like it at all). I stayed in Bakau, where it is much more wholesome. Anyway, I hope that some of what I say here will have proved useful. I suggest that you google 'FCO Travel Advice Gambia', read the Wikipedia entry on The Gambia, and just put a few questions into Google, such as "Is The Gambia Safe?" and "Where should I stay?" etc. and have a read of what others have to say. I hope you do decide to go, and that you and your family have a great time. Best of luck!
Eddie Bogaert Oh well...last year I seen Gambian soldiers chasing them off the beach near the Senegambia hotel. Do you know what that plant is called the locals give you for an upset stomach.. Is it the name of your hotel?
Ich war in The Gambia im Jahr 1989 für 3 Wochen. Ein schöner Urlaub der leider getrübt wurde durch ein schlimmes Erlebniss..Ich war bei Einheimischen ,,eingeladen,, und die Situation dort war irgendwie komisch. Plötzlich stand die Polizei im Raum und ich sollte eine ziemliche Summe ,,Strafe,, zahlen. Wofür wurde mir nicht gesagt. Ich rettete mich damit, dass ich sagte ich hätte kein Geld dabei und müsse zum Hotel. Wir fuhren mit dem Taxi zum Hotel was die beiden Polizisten auch noch bezahlten weil ich ja ,,kein Geld dabei hatte, ! Im Hotel angekommen war ich gerettet. Ich erzählte das später der Hotelpolizei und die sagten mir, dass das eine alte Masche wäre um Touristen durch Angst abzuzocken. Oftmals spielen da auch Kinder beiderlei Geschlechts eine Rolle die behaupten sex. belästigt worden zu sein. ALSO VORSICHT!!
It's in West Africa, surrounded by Senegal. Google it and have a look on a map of Africa to get a sense of where it is in relation to other countries in Africa you may be more familiar with.
Ik had al in de gaten Eddie we hier met een "gestoord persoon" te maken hadden. Wij zijn net terug van een trip van 4 weken midden en west Thailand. Onze plannen voor 2016 zijn om in april wederom naar Thailand te gaan en dan in november voor de 3x keer Gambia. Ik denk wel dat we daarna deze 2 landen als "gezien" gaan beschouwen. Jordanië en St. Petersburg staan ook nog op ons lijstje maar de situatie in de wereld maakt keuzes niet makkelijk. Fijne jaarwisseling en veel reisplezier in 2016.
People be wise let's help the country is better than cheating do you think everything is money let's create facilities or build project or institutions working places and last nos what to talk about if you are gonna talk please
Go Caroline........., I'm 70 and we visited for the first time last year....liked it that much, we flew back again two weeks later. We stayed at the Senegambia hotel, which was above our expectations.. If you do stay there, ask the pool guy for his brother in law, young Jobe as a guide and you'll have no worries.
Well I think for people like myself who want to go. My daddy lives there he left when I was 8 I'm 13 now can't wait this summer it looks like a very cool place to go
Eddie Bogaert Hello Eddie i want to ask you something. We are also Dutch but we have a foundation o help the Gambian people. We fincially adopted some famlies and e nursery school and the surrounding compound. I really like your film because its a quite complete vieuw of what the counry has to offer a tourist. So I wanna ask you : if you are okay with it, if we use your film on our website to show people who don't now theGambia what te country has to offer for tourists? It will be showed next to other films about the real live in gambia for the gambian people. Hope t hear from you
my friend its seem like you have no respect for humanity people in the video were telling you to stop recording them several times but you still go ahead an do it talking about you wanted to make a video about life in Gambia, to make tourists interested in fact nothing positive in this video you can't disrespect people in your country also in their own country it's not acceptable!!!!
You people's are the enemies of states thank God the guy has play his part as citizens of Gambia,what have you contributed in the states only following people's progress shame on you
It goes back to the slavery days 5p was a shilling and a florin or ten pence (two shillings) aka two bob was offered to west african parents to buy a child hence two bab is a phrase the children use to refer to white folks historical acts of cruelty.
nigel steele Wow that's fucked up, I never knew that. I used to use that word as a kid in Gambia, its used to refer to Caucasian, well now I know better.
nigel steele Thats the biggest piece of crap i have ever heard. Toubab is a wollof word that means white person/european. The Idea that Africans sold there children or captured enemies into slavery has always been used to deflect responsibility by the true perpetrators of that despicable act. You were probably told that story by some beach bumster who wanted some money and the info reinforced your ignorant prejudice. For "md2v4" above, shame on you for accepting a dumb assertion like that for someone who claims to be from Gambia
nigel steele Your statement is very misleading and inacurate or cooked. Toubab is a word from the wollof language meaning white people. Although am not completely discrediting your statement as it reflect a little sense to me. "Bab" in the same language could mean 25 bututs instead of the shilling. I remembered the days we use to hire our bicycle foe a short ride we call "bobeh ride" something like that. But in reality the Dalasis were not used in the slave trade. I can also recall when £1 was D5 in 1982/5 and thats why we call it pound. To cut the story short, our fore fathers were sold against their own will and there was nothing like a market where they were traded in The Gambia. Probably the "tubab" thing happened in the west where they were sold.
A load of donkeytwaddle mate cos i'm from gambia and i know toubab is just a word used to refer to a white person and has nothing whatsoever to do with the slave trade.
how these Europeans gone say wrong things bout are country when we had gold kings riches that Europe never had then that's y Europe came to Africa colonized it took what we had language religion left us poor and took us to the Americas on someone else land
Myesha Graham Dude. Colonization was a long time ago. Africa is just run by dictators who cheat their own people. Look at countries like China and Japan, they were colonized as well. Japan had two atom bombs dropped on them, but they're still doing well.
What What China is doing well? Chinas GDP per capita is on par with countries like Ghana. Also you can absolutely not compare the colonization and stripping of resources in West Africa to the mere establishing of bases in Asian countries. Japan was not colonized dumbass.
L dot China's a world power though. There's no denying this dumbass. And yes you can. Of course you can. Japan got 2 bombs dropped on them and America and European countries "stole" a lot of their resources, even Germany. A lot of Western countries "stripped" resources when ruling countries in Asia. Stop making excuses, that's what incompetent people do. Fact of the matter is Africa is run by corrupt politicians and dictators who screw over their own people. That's why it sucks.
What What Japan got 2 bombs dropped on them, ending in aprox. 120 000 people dead. Millions of africans were sold up until the late 1800 hundreds. The US made it their sole mission to rebuild Japan so they had an ally in the far east, thats why Japan is flourishing.And China being a world power whilst the majority of people living in China are poverty stricken is irrelevant. China doesn't have a functional democracy and yet you fail to mention that. Some african countries are no more than 60 years old, comparing these to nations and empires in Asia who has been around since the beginning of the middle ages is dumb, and you are absolutely inadequate. Stop being a dumbass for gods sake.
L dot You're seriously complaining about slavery? The same slavery where blacks sold out other blacks and was centuries ago? That's what you're bitching about in 2015? Maybe the Indians should complain about British rule for 300 years. Nah, they're too busy being world power. No wonder Africa is so behind. Well soon the Chinese and the Indians will be running it, maybe it'll get better. I'm done, it's much easier to reason with a KKK member.
Toubab at its basic level means "non-Wolof" or "foreigner," much like many cultures use the equivalent of "human" to mean their own people and "barbarian" for other cultures. That's why it was easier to sell non-Wolof peoples into slavery. The word is a corruption of the word "Portuguese," who were among the first slavers arriving in this area. Other than having one of the most psychopathic, murderous presidents as its leader, Gambia is a beautiful country filled with lovely people, most of whom have to struggle for a living because Yaya Drammeh prefers the wealth to go to him. Drammeh is a Jola, an ethnic group that suffered for a long time under the rule of the majority Mandinka people. His rule is noted for his pathological hatred of the Mandinka, who are the dominant group in the Gambia. In general I liked watching this video, since it shows me how much as changed and how much has stayed the same since I lived there in 1973-74.
Michael Coolen ....thanks for interest about the gambia....if one take the politics out and dig through history the mandinkas have a lot of respect for the jolas hence they call them jolas....meaning royal people.if you visit the kombos,fonis and cassamance mandingoes and jolas are intertwined through marriage
Dear Lamin Magasa. Judge of the world! Please, think first, than talk! First: our guide informed the people before I recordered and explained them also after that, second: Most of the situations we saw are not in the video. Third: I did not recorded the situations about the people we helped with their trouble, like with Malaris; when we bought medicins for them. Also we dit not recorded the problems of the family in the mud-house, we helped them by selling cement for them to repair their house. And so on, and so on! So we really thougt about being respectfull to the Gambian people. So don't be the judge of the whole world. And certainly not for people who helped a lot (wihtout telling that all times). I am sick about your reaction! Me and not respectfull? I think I am more respectfull for the Gambian people than you for men who helped (and help) the Gambian people. YES, I AM ANGRY NOW!
Eddie, I don't think you need to defend yourself.... allot of people are trolling, because they are jealous! I am about to watch the video now, and almost the first thing i see is a woman in red, feeding a monkey! there are people who might be offended by this... like Lamin maybe.. Just ignore those kind of comments, you did nothing wrong! You went to this country and helped some people (with buying excursions, buying drinks, buying food, and maybe even give something away! Well, I am going to see your video now! :) I am going in March to Kotu, Hotel Palm Beach, hope i won't offend anyone with that ;)
Ik had al in de gaten Eddie we hier met een "gestoord persoon" te maken hadden. Wij zijn net terug van een trip van 4 weken midden en west Thailand. Onze plannen voor 2016 zijn om in april wederom naar Thailand te gaan en dan in november voor de 3x keer Gambia. Ik denk wel dat we daarna deze 2 landen als "gezien" gaan beschouwen. Jordanië en St. Petersburg staan ook nog op ons lijstje maar de situatie in de wereld maakt keuzes niet makkelijk. Fijne jaarwisseling en veel reisplezier in 2016.
Finally a movie showing the raw beauty and charm of this timeless location. Thank you Eddie.
+Eddie Bogaert Its not Gambia its THE Gambia
@@tauceti8060 I think EVERYBODY knows what he means with Gambia
I live the mother land Gambia, thank you for showing me this. ich liebe Gambia
Thanks for the video Eddie. I can relate to most of the places in the video having visited Gambia on 4 different occasions from Zimbabwe. It is unfortunate that some people have negative comments and speculations about this beautiful country, what I can call an African Odyssey.
I haven been to gambia for over but I think is the best country ever.....VIVA GAMBIA desde londres.
Beautiful clarity on this video. Ty for taking me on this trip.
Heel mooi filmpje.
Zo herkenbaar allemaal, wij gaan over 2 weken naar Baobab voor de 3e keer.
Wij gaan nu nog verder de binnenlanden in en blijven daar ook overnachten.
thanks for the video guys! very helpful, me and my wife visiting The Gambia in Jan 2017!! so is good to know a bit what to except!
I was in Gambia in 2012, this is beautiful country. I have similar memories, thanks for showing yours.
+Jo Irish The Gambia is the country full name not Gambia
+Alpha581 I know that. The full name is The Gambia but see this video title - Gambia 2014 :)
What is a problem? I put a nice comment under this movie only someone accused me, I do not know the name of the country. I wrote I know. If you don't like my words you can delate it all. I don't care.
Prachtig, wat een mooie impressie van the Gambia. Onze vakantie is over 17 dagen. Wij gaan naar Hotel Kombo Beach. Onze 1e keer dat wij er heen gaan.
Ik hoop dat we ook mooie films en foto's kunnen maken.
Ik wens jullie een hele fijne vakantie. Geniet van het bijzondere land!
Wij vertrekken binnenkort naar Ecuador en de Galapagos eilanden, waarschijnlijk weer een hele andere ervaring.
I am soo happy you went to my home country the Gambia, I really hoped you enjoyed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes
Echt heel erg leuk en goed gedaan! informatief, en die mensen die niet gefilmd willen worden, tja, die houd je altijd, je intenties zijn gewoon goed, jullie zijn mooie en fijne mensen zo te zien en horen op de video!!
ik heb er nu nog meer zin in om n maart naar Kotu te gaan!
Dank jullie wel dat jullie dit online hebben gezet het heeft mij weer wat meer inzicht gegeven! :)
Man I love being from Gambia
What a cool country. I want to visit your country.
Miss my home really wish I could go back
Ik heb zo mijn twijfels met reizen naar dit land. Over veiligheid absoluut niet, want daarover hoor ik geen negatieve verhalen. Wat is het weer in de winter, en is het het geld waard? Is de zee "zwembaar" ?
Back to the basics in sandals, a photographers paradise. This must be where Christ left his shoes back when.
Leuke film Eddie. Voor ons veel herkenbare dingen. Wij gaan a.s. 7 november wederom naar Kololi (Senegambia Beach hotel).
+Wilma Pulles YOU ARE LIKE MANY BI…. YOU GO THERE TO FU….CK
You are the most crazy and sick person from 2015 for me.😭
Thanks for the video. I liked to watch it. You are showing from different places, what people are doing , and nature. Are you taken malaria medication or other things when you go there?
Re. malaria medication, when I was in The Gambia, many of the local people I met had lost a family member to malaria, and they have a better resistance to it than Caucasians. Last year an English couple who own a compound in The Gambia and who visit every year, went there as usual, and did not take any malaria medication. Both caught malaria and the wife died (in a hospital back in the UK).
I know Eddie says his daughter (the doctor) claims that the medication is worse than the illness, but - with all due respect - I think that is nonsense. Malaria is an awful illness to have, and it can kill you. How can the medication be worse than that?! There is one particular drug, Lariam, which can cause terrible side effects, but just don't choose that one! Malarone is great (no-one seems to experience any side effects with this one). I've used it every time I've visited a malarial zone, with no ill effects.
Great video, by the way, Eddie. Really enjoyed it. I've watched it a few times, as a way of 'revisiting' the place! I think it really showcases nicely what The Gambia has to offer to a foreign visitor.
Wow! I haven`t been in here since July! Thanks for your both replies :-) I would chosen medication for sure if there is malaria. And I am not sure I would be brave enough to visit yet... I also know people who have got very sick of malaria. And also know a norwegian student in Tanzania who took medication very carefully, but still died. It´s very different from my country so I would like to see it.
How did u go about booking this trip? I am trying to book a vacation to west Africa for the 2015 summer and needed a few tips on how to do that! Thanks! Great video!
thank you so much for this info! it was very helpful. I am looking forward to my trip
Je hebt een mooie film gemaakt.
Hallo eddie, Ik ga deze zomer met mij vriend ook naar gambia en ook naar hetzelfde hotel!
Nou ben ik fotografie student en ik wil daar ook gaan fotograferen en filmen, maar vinden mensen dat heel vervelend daar?
heb je daar zelf problemen mee gekregen of valt het wel mee?
en zijn er nog dingen misschien waar je ons voor kunt waarschuwen?:)
bedankt! en leuke film! ik krijg nu een goede impressie:)
I loved your video
The people in the video were telling you to stop taping. Why did you guys completely ignore them? The market people were clearly telling you to stop. I don't understand
Dear Suna Njie.
Thank you for your comment. Al lot of times I stopped recording, because I want to respect all people. But I also wanted to make a video about life in Gambia, to make tourists interested in that beautifull country. Sometimes I tried to explain my meenings to that people and than they really understood. Also I several times asked my guide if I did wrong, but he also explained the people my meenings. Maybe I recorderd a bit to much? Sorry then for that. I made the video with te best meenings. With all respect for the people of Gambia.
Regards, Eddie
So why did you completely ignore that fact they were clearly using a swear word and with disrespect. What's wrong with telling someone nicely that you don't want to be filmed? Being nasty and disrespectful is not how Gambia works and i'm sure you well know that.
I allready explained several times the reason I recorderd that. Read other comments and answers. I really wanted to be respectfull. Here I stop this conversation, I can't answer again and again. Regards, Eddie
Eddie Bogaert Sorry but my comment wasn't for you because i agree with you. It was for that suna njie :)
Sorry
ik ben in juni ook daar in gambia geweest en in het zelfde hotel superleuk daar
beautiful experience, good job for sharing it
i know Im randomly asking but does someone know a trick to get back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost my login password. I would appreciate any tips you can give me
@Neil Moshe Instablaster =)
@Brooks Tyler i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and im in the hacking process atm.
Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Wat a lovely nice video that my country
Thanks for the film Eddie, I am seriously considering taking my family to Gambia now, I have been a little nervous about visiting Africa as it is such a troubled part of the world at the moment, however the people here seem very friendly and welcoming. Who was the man that was showing you around? Can you hire guides whilst you are there? Some of the comments on this page are a little confusing, It sounds from some people that they would not want Europeans to visit, or maybe I am just misinterpreting them Thanks again, really well made film.
Hello Nigel.
I visited The Gambia in 2008, had a wonderful time, and have taken a keen interest in the country ever since. (I stayed in a compound with local people, as opposed to in a hotel.) I understand your concerns about Africa, but I want to reassure you that The Gambia is very safe, with a very low crime rate. Violent crime is rare (unlike in the UK).
The Gambia is, I would say, the 'easiest' African country to visit for all sorts of reasons. You are highly unlikely to be caught up in any kind of trouble flare up. There are none of the ethnic tensions between different tribes that exist in other parts of Africa, and people of different religions live harmoniously side by side. ...I met four young men from three different tribes who had all moved from villages to the town for work purposes, and they all shared a room together and were the best of friends. And that's the norm. I was there on December 25th (it's a Muslim country) and several Gambian Muslims called out 'Happy Christmas' with warm smiles (because I'm white, they assumed I was Christian) when they saw me in the street. The people were lovely, and I felt very safe there.
I recommend that you do a bit of research on the Internet, because there are certain things that you need to know to avoid when you are there. For example, avoid any mention of homosexuality - the president has previously declared that he will "cut off the heads" of any homosexuals, so you simply can't say things like "I don't have any objection to gay marriage, myself" in The Gambia, and never ask local people what they think of their president (unless you have got to know them well, and you are somewhere where there is no-one else around to overhear), or say anything critical of him yourself (it could land you in jail). I'm not trying to put you off, but you need to bear in mind that the country is under a dictatorship and there is no such thing as Freedom of Speech. Since President Jammeh withdrew The Gambia from The British Commonwealth last year, he has been broadcasting anti-English rhetoric on state TV and radio, so this may have invoked some hostility amongst the Gambian population towards the British... but from comments I've read on other sites, from English people who have been to The Gambia in recent months, they were saying that they had a wonderful time, people were so friendly and welcoming, and they couldn't wait to go back.
Don't forget to book an appointment with the Travel Nurse at your GP surgery in good time, in order to get any vaccinations you need. (You have to have a certificate to show that you have had a Yellow Fever vaccination or they won't let you into the country.) Re. malaria prophylaxis, I strongly recommend Malarone (no side effects). Do NOT choose Lariam (google it for the horror stories).
I would avoid staying in the Senegambia strip, where you get all the hard drinking Brits abroad types and sex tourists (I went through there in a taxi on my way to somewhere else, and didn't like it at all). I stayed in Bakau, where it is much more wholesome.
Anyway, I hope that some of what I say here will have proved useful. I suggest that you google 'FCO Travel Advice Gambia', read the Wikipedia entry on The Gambia, and just put a few questions into Google, such as "Is The Gambia Safe?" and "Where should I stay?" etc. and have a read of what others have to say. I hope you do decide to go, and that you and your family have a great time. Best of luck!
Very comprehensive advice Nicola, thank you very much.
Very nice video, Are the bumpsters still banned from the beaches?
Eddie Bogaert Oh well...last year I seen Gambian soldiers chasing them off the beach near the Senegambia hotel. Do you know what that plant is called the locals give you for an upset stomach.. Is it the name of your hotel?
Eddie Bogaert The Gambia Beach is for the Gambians n the Tourist., note it!!!
19bootsy68
Ich war in The Gambia im Jahr 1989 für 3 Wochen. Ein schöner Urlaub der leider getrübt wurde durch ein schlimmes Erlebniss..Ich war bei Einheimischen ,,eingeladen,, und die Situation dort war irgendwie komisch. Plötzlich stand die Polizei im Raum und ich sollte eine ziemliche Summe ,,Strafe,, zahlen. Wofür wurde mir nicht gesagt. Ich rettete mich damit, dass ich sagte ich hätte kein Geld dabei und müsse zum Hotel. Wir fuhren mit dem Taxi zum Hotel was die beiden Polizisten auch noch bezahlten weil ich ja ,,kein Geld dabei hatte, !
Im Hotel angekommen war ich gerettet. Ich erzählte das später der Hotelpolizei und die sagten mir, dass das eine alte Masche wäre um Touristen durch Angst abzuzocken. Oftmals spielen da auch Kinder beiderlei Geschlechts eine Rolle die behaupten sex. belästigt worden zu sein. ALSO VORSICHT!!
This was a nice video.
Africa needs to get on track.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Gambie
Where in Africa is Gambia? i have heard of Gambia before but not too often.
It's in West Africa, surrounded by Senegal. Google it and have a look on a map of Africa to get a sense of where it is in relation to other countries in Africa you may be more familiar with.
+rosie perez is in west africa ,a very poor small country ruled by a dictator ,and the sexual paradise for retired old white poor european prostitutes
Since toubab basically means "foreigner," even African Americans are called toubabs in The Gambia.
Very nice. Thank you for sharing.
Ik had al in de gaten Eddie we hier met een "gestoord persoon" te maken hadden.
Wij zijn net terug van een trip van 4 weken midden en west Thailand. Onze plannen voor 2016 zijn om in april wederom naar Thailand te gaan en dan in november voor de 3x keer Gambia. Ik denk wel dat we daarna deze 2 landen als "gezien" gaan beschouwen. Jordanië en St. Petersburg staan ook nog op ons lijstje maar de situatie in de wereld maakt keuzes niet makkelijk.
Fijne jaarwisseling en veel reisplezier in 2016.
make sure you get Gambia 2015.
And to add to the definition of "toubab," an African American is also considered a toubab.
NIce real africa video close to Bakadaji hotel Kololi. ;)
super video :)
People be wise let's help the country is better than cheating do you think everything is money let's create facilities or build project or institutions working places and last nos what to talk about if you are gonna talk please
Gambia paradise
I want to go to THE GAMBIA before I die, I got my passport and the money ready, I just have to look into the hotel etc. I''m hooked!
Go Caroline........., I'm 70 and we visited for the first time last year....liked it that much, we flew back again two weeks later.
We stayed at the Senegambia hotel, which was above our expectations..
If you do stay there, ask the pool guy for his brother in law, young Jobe as a guide and you'll have no worries.
bobbybyxby thank you so much!!
you are welcome
Адам Бароо когда народ Гамбии будут жит достойы и достатке?
Rakhal Bondhu my story 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌀🌂 DADA Habib 📻🏏🔛🇧🇩🇮🇳🇵🇰🇨🇳🇲🇾🇱🇰🇳🇵🇲🇻🇻🇳🇯🇵💠🏢💉💊🏭🏥
but why this on you tube
Well I think for people like myself who want to go. My daddy lives there he left when I was 8 I'm 13 now can't wait this summer it looks like a very cool place to go
Eddie Bogaert Hello Eddie i want to ask you something. We are also Dutch but we have a foundation o help the Gambian people. We fincially adopted some famlies and e nursery school and the surrounding compound. I really like your film because its a quite complete vieuw of what the counry has to offer a tourist. So I wanna ask you : if you are okay with it, if we use your film on our website to show people who don't now theGambia what te country has to offer for tourists? It will be showed next to other films about the real live in gambia for the gambian people. Hope t hear from you
Ooooh Africa
what is the longe of gambia ?? send me e email
plzz
leuke film
вот бы по бывать там
Ik snap ook niet dat je ongevraagd die mensen filmt, ongeacht wat je bedoelingen ook zijn.
my friend its seem like you have no respect for humanity people in the video were telling you to stop recording them several times but you still go ahead an do it talking about you wanted to make a video about life in Gambia, to make tourists interested in fact nothing positive in this video you can't disrespect people in your country also in their own country it's not acceptable!!!!
You people's are the enemies of states thank God the guy has play his part as citizens of Gambia,what have you contributed in the states only following people's progress shame on you
hear the little ones calling twobab lol :) should be ten p now!!!
It goes back to the slavery days 5p was a shilling and a florin or ten pence (two shillings) aka two bob was offered to west african parents to buy a child hence two bab is a phrase the children use to refer to white folks historical acts of cruelty.
nigel steele
Wow that's fucked up, I never knew that. I used to use that word as a kid in Gambia, its used to refer to Caucasian, well now I know better.
nigel steele
Thats the biggest piece of crap i have ever heard. Toubab is a wollof word that means white person/european. The Idea that Africans sold there children or captured enemies into slavery has always been used to deflect responsibility by the true perpetrators of that despicable act.
You were probably told that story by some beach bumster who wanted some money and the info reinforced your ignorant prejudice. For "md2v4" above, shame on you for accepting a dumb assertion like that for someone who claims to be from Gambia
nigel steele Your statement is very misleading and inacurate or cooked. Toubab is a word from the wollof language meaning white people. Although am not completely discrediting your statement as it reflect a little sense to me. "Bab" in the same language could mean 25 bututs instead of the shilling. I remembered the days we use to hire our bicycle foe a short ride we call "bobeh ride" something like that. But in reality the Dalasis were not used in the slave trade. I can also recall when £1 was D5 in 1982/5 and thats why we call it pound. To cut the story short, our fore fathers were sold against their own will and there was nothing like a market where they were traded in The Gambia. Probably the "tubab" thing happened in the west where they were sold.
A load of donkeytwaddle mate cos i'm from gambia and i know toubab is just a word used to refer to a white person and has nothing whatsoever to do with the slave trade.
You are not a good Gambian why ???
I feel so sorry for African high level of poverty
how these Europeans gone say wrong things bout are country when we had gold kings riches that Europe never had then that's y Europe came to Africa colonized it took what we had language religion left us poor and took us to the Americas on someone else land
Myesha Graham Dude. Colonization was a long time ago. Africa is just run by dictators who cheat their own people. Look at countries like China and Japan, they were colonized as well. Japan had two atom bombs dropped on them, but they're still doing well.
What What China is doing well? Chinas GDP per capita is on par with countries like Ghana. Also you can absolutely not compare the colonization and stripping of resources in West Africa to the mere establishing of bases in Asian countries. Japan was not colonized dumbass.
L dot China's a world power though. There's no denying this dumbass. And yes you can. Of course you can. Japan got 2 bombs dropped on them and America and European countries "stole" a lot of their resources, even Germany. A lot of Western countries "stripped" resources when ruling countries in Asia. Stop making excuses, that's what incompetent people do. Fact of the matter is Africa is run by corrupt politicians and dictators who screw over their own people. That's why it sucks.
What What Japan got 2 bombs dropped on them, ending in aprox. 120 000 people dead.
Millions of africans were sold up until the late 1800 hundreds. The US made it their sole mission to rebuild Japan so they had an ally in the far east, thats why Japan is flourishing.And China being a world power whilst the majority of people living in China are poverty stricken is irrelevant. China doesn't have a functional democracy and yet you fail to mention that. Some african countries are no more than 60 years old, comparing these to nations and empires in Asia who has been around since the beginning of the middle ages is dumb, and you are absolutely inadequate.
Stop being a dumbass for gods sake.
L dot You're seriously complaining about slavery? The same slavery where blacks sold out other blacks and was centuries ago? That's what you're bitching about in 2015? Maybe the Indians should complain about British rule for 300 years. Nah, they're too busy being world power. No wonder Africa is so behind. Well soon the Chinese and the Indians will be running it, maybe it'll get better. I'm done, it's much easier to reason with a KKK member.
lol gamdia
Toubab at its basic level means "non-Wolof" or "foreigner," much like many cultures use the equivalent of "human" to mean their own people and "barbarian" for other cultures. That's why it was easier to sell non-Wolof peoples into slavery. The word is a corruption of the word "Portuguese," who were among the first slavers arriving in this area. Other than having one of the most psychopathic, murderous presidents as its leader, Gambia is a beautiful country filled with lovely people, most of whom have to struggle for a living because Yaya Drammeh prefers the wealth to go to him. Drammeh is a Jola, an ethnic group that suffered for a long time under the rule of the majority Mandinka people. His rule is noted for his pathological hatred of the Mandinka, who are the dominant group in the Gambia. In general I liked watching this video, since it shows me how much as changed and how much has stayed the same since I lived there in 1973-74.
Michael Coolen ....thanks for interest about the gambia....if one take the politics out and dig through history the mandinkas have a lot of respect for the jolas hence they call them jolas....meaning royal people.if you visit the kombos,fonis and cassamance mandingoes and jolas are intertwined through marriage
Dear Lamin Magasa. Judge of the world! Please, think first, than talk! First: our guide informed the people before I recordered and explained them also after that, second: Most of the situations we saw are not in the video. Third: I did not recorded the situations about the people we helped with their trouble, like with Malaris; when we bought medicins for them. Also we dit not recorded the problems of the family in the mud-house, we helped them by selling cement for them to repair their house. And so on, and so on! So we really thougt about being respectfull to the Gambian people. So don't be the judge of the whole world. And certainly not for people who helped a lot (wihtout telling that all times). I am sick about your reaction! Me and not respectfull? I think I am more respectfull for the Gambian people than you for men who helped (and help) the Gambian people. YES, I AM ANGRY NOW!
Recording a beautiful country is not disrespectful.
SoCalDualSport Thank you so much!
Eddie, I don't think you need to defend yourself.... allot of people are trolling, because they are jealous!
I am about to watch the video now, and almost the first thing i see is a woman in red, feeding a monkey!
there are people who might be offended by this... like Lamin maybe.. Just ignore those kind of comments, you did nothing wrong! You went to this country and helped some people (with buying excursions, buying drinks, buying food, and maybe even give something away!
Well, I am going to see your video now! :)
I am going in March to Kotu, Hotel Palm Beach, hope i won't offend anyone with that ;)
Ik had al in de gaten Eddie we hier met een "gestoord persoon" te maken hadden.
Wij zijn net terug van een trip van 4 weken midden en west Thailand. Onze plannen voor 2016 zijn om in april wederom naar Thailand te gaan en dan in november voor de 3x keer Gambia. Ik denk wel dat we daarna deze 2 landen als "gezien" gaan beschouwen. Jordanië en St. Petersburg staan ook nog op ons lijstje maar de situatie in de wereld maakt keuzes niet makkelijk.
Fijne jaarwisseling en veel reisplezier in 2016.
Bedankt voor de tip. 👍
@@wilmapulles6958 Hi madam,,