Day Six - Thursday 22nd January

My last day! I had planned to return to the school where they cook each day and play with the children and also to revisit May at the paper-mill - but accessing a further money transfer took up my morning.

I decided to spend my last afternoon on the beach relaxing - for I had had little time during 'My Week' to do so, there was so much to see and do.

I wandered to the beach for the last time. Where I went was not a real tourists area and I walked for a good hour along the edge of the water half way to the fishing village of Brufut.

I stopped at an isolated palm topped juice bar where 6 Gambian musicians sat contentedly playing their drums - just for themselves. I listened for some time with great pleasure and then bought them all a Fanta. I laughed as they dedicated and sang a song to me, 'Welcome Julia, Welcome Julia' - accompanied of course by the wonderful drums, which I love. I did actually have a lesson during my first week when Bryn and I visited Paradise Bay but never did get back for my next lesson. But I shall take lessons when I return to Gambia.

I often felt I was on a film set in an exotic location - not as a film-star you understand, just an extra looking on and enjoying the atmosphere and so it was in that tiny unanticipated juice bar on the fringe of the shore.

I finally made my way home, tired and happy. I had been unable to swim that day which saddened me but I abstained for a very good reason. Only the day before exactly where I used to swim a tourist staying at a large hotel called The Senegambia had been pulled out to sea and drowned as his wife and life-guards looked on unable to help. I couldn't get that poor woman out of my mind - imagine the horror. No red flag had been flying either. The under-currents are very strong even for strong swimmers and of course there is no air sea rescue or lifeboats, only Gambian swimmers who are as likely to be pulled under as anyone else.

That last evening I had the rearranged appointment to meet a Member of Parliament and Leader of the Opposition Party the P.D.O.I.S, (Peoples' Democratic Organisation, Independence and Socialism.) - Gambia is independent and is, at least partly if not wholeheartedly democratic - I looked forward to learning more about the application of external aid from a variety of countries; if, as an Opposition member speaking out publicly against many of the ruling party's policies he ever felt 'less than secure;' what changes he would make were his party in power; what changes he had already been able to get through parliament (for I had heard that despite 55 M.P's in the ruling party and only 3 in the Opposition he had indeed affected changes for the good of the people.

He sounded an impressive man - I looked forward to our meeting.

We had turned up at the Peoples' Centre for Learning and Teaching and for Awareness, Empowerment and Development where his office was housed earlier in the week only to learn he had been called away and the meeting deferred to another day - now it was here, just in time before I had to leave Gambia.

This time we went to his house to meet him (the only well built house I visited, colonial of course, rather grand I suppose but holding for me none of the charm of the Gambian houses.) Kabs removed his shoes on arrival but I was stopped from doing so by the M.P who welcomed me warmly.

He was a charming intelligent man of about 50 who was so positive his country - men could help themselves and be self sufficient if only the aid was used for the good of the people and so much was not lost within the pockets of the rich.

He was an idealist without doubt but one would need to be if one was to keep faith with his beliefs against such overwhelming odds.

I asked him if, as a member of the opposition party he ever felt 'less than secure' when speaking against the government. I asked if it was a true democracy and if voting was 'controlled' in anyway.

His answers were honest, his hopes for the future amazingly positive in a country of such dire poverty and his determination to work towards a government which, in his opinion, would correctly utilise the aid received from so many countries around the world for the good of the people was impressive.

He truly believed if the people were organised properly and funded appropriately they could harvest the natural wealth of the sea, which is plentiful indeed. Now they harvest as they have for generations, with nets and manpower - how can they compete with foreign fishing boats, which literally 'suck-up' the fish as it chooses.

But boats, nets, organisation and education are all hard won here at present and non-existent for so many people. We bade farewell and thanked him and his family for their hospitality and time.

How fortunate I am to have met such a wide variety of Gambians - how impressed I am with them all from so many angles - and believe me diary I do not, despite what you may think reading this, impress easily. I finished the evening by sharing a meal with Kabs and thanking him for the professional manner in which he had organised and executed my programme of visits.

I had indeed completed everything suggested and enjoyed every single activity and visit.

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