Possible trip to the Gambia - any tips?

mum2one

i went to The Gambia in 05, i stayed in Senegambia beach hotel, kolio, ive visted Tunisa many times so am use to an element of local cultures.
As a single traveller, I never go without my trusty wedding ring!

Be prepared its a poor country, bear in mind that the average wage for a security guard at an hotel is £20 a month, so as a westerner we are seen as rich, where ever you go theres always a odd person thats a pain, locally known as bumpsters but 99% of the gambian people are geuninue. I even went to a wedding party while I was out there, as Id stuck with the same taxi driver when I went out, went with him, bit odd being the only white woman at a wedding party, but everybody went out of their way to make sure I was ok.

If your going in a taxi only go in a green tourist taxi, also you can hire a guide, half day or a day,which is recommended and set a price first, I took a taxi, we were out for 4 hours, saw some local villages, a school and the most beautiful beach, Paradise Beach, think I paid about £6.00 for the trip.

The hotels, are not to posh, for example a 3 star in Gambia, compared to a 3 star in Spain, Spain would win hands down.

bargains, are wood, clothes, - if you go to kolio area, they have a tourist market, and they do some nice items, I picked up 2 dresses, a couple of shirts, and a 5 outfits for my daughter, that was £50.00

Take some pens, pencils, sweets, as nobody really has much out there,
you do some sights ie - ladies of a certain age (I mean even 70), with a young gambian man and its love, there going to get married!!

I personally would go back, but after being once,