“the Big One”! World Cruise on Sojourn

[fdnycruiser]

We had a stop at The Gambia back in 2013. It wasn’t much better then. I went on the Gambia Adventure drive, and my wife and another couple went to the market. We had just heard about the tragedy at the Boston Marathon. My wife told me when I returned, that locals in the market several times would walk up to them, and sincerely say how so sorry they were to hear about what happened in Boston. We were taken aback , and touched that in all that poverty they were concerned about the attack, and its effect on us. We’ll never forget that .

[SLSD]

9 hours ago, florisdekort said:

It just arrived at 7:42 pm. 

Thank goodness.  

[florisdekort]

11 hours ago, 15Day+ said:

We would be interested in hearing from anyone who went on the "The Gambia Adventure Drive" (with those open-air trucks)

We had probably one of our best days of the World Cruise in Banjul, The Gambia. I’ll let the pictures tell the story. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floris 

Edited May 15, 2023 by florisdekort

[lincslady]

Lovely photos - I  imagine the little boys are passengers?  If only we could all stay as open and friendly as this all our lives.

[cruiseej]

On 5/13/2023 at 6:24 PM, shark b8 said:

I was always aware of the presence of a map on the port/aft wall in the Square.  But I guess I never looked closer….to see that it changes with the voyage, and that there’s a small pinned-ship thing that tells us where we are.  Small thing, just never noticed.

 

Well, it's understandable that you might have missed this being busy in the first days after you boarded. Oh, wait… 🤣

[shark b8]

11 hours ago, florisdekort said:

I’ll let the pictures tell the story. 

 

 

Utterly fabulous.  Can’t imagine a better demonstration of how the same destination can provide completely different experiences.

[galeforce9]

11 hours ago, florisdekort said:

We had probably one of our best days of the World Cruise in Banjul, The Gambia. I’ll let the pictures tell the story. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Floris 

Lovely boys and pics.  Was this the adventure drive trip?

[PSahoy]

I was thinking that exact thing through the lens you’ve provided. About a week ago I was drooling over African wildlife and sunset, then heartbreak and then how much friendship can matter. Exactly what ATW trip should be.

[florisdekort]

56 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

Lovely boys and pics.  Was this the adventure drive trip?

Yes, it was the Adventure Drive. But we do tend to “challenge” the program. While the group was listening to a 45 minute lecture on the history of The Gambia (which you can easily read yourself on Wikipedia), we wandered outside and played with the many kids for the whole time. 

 

[galeforce9]

Just now, florisdekort said:

Yes, it was the Adventure Drive. But we do tend to “challenge” the program. While the group was listening to a 45 minute lecture on the history of The Gambia (which you can easily read yourself on Wikipedia), we wandered outside and played with the many kids for the whole time. 

 

Me too! Great idea 

[2seabournsailors]

On 5/15/2023 at 5:47 AM, shark b8 said:

Yep, minutes after I posted, 2 private vehicles, a minivan, and then a full-size tour bus pulled up & discharged cruisers.  Much welcoming and all, so……all is well.  Carry on.

 

 

Yep, that was us....first back!! (in the first pic)......

[florisdekort]

We sailed from Dakar an hour late as well, at midnight instead of 11 pm. Turns out we were waiting for Natalya Leahy, the new CEO, who boarded at 11:45 pm. 
 

[shark b8]

Spectacular, enormous sculpture on a bluff over Dakar, but the tour literature says there’s a certain amount of controversy - a $27+million price tag, and apparently it was created in North Korea.

 

 

[cruiseej]

I hope she's there to engage with passengers to find out why they choose Seabourn, what they think Seabourn does especially well, and where they think Seabourn has slipped. A new CEO on a true listening/learning tour is a hopeful sign for the future --  assuming the things Seabourn needs are within her control and financial limits.

[shark b8]

Appeared to me the gentleman in the 3-wheeler was conducting educational or religious studying with the kids on either side. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

We took a ferry from Dakar to the île de Gorée, which is now a charming little island village (no vehicles) but which is yet another historical example of the horrors of the slave trade.  Next to last pic is entitled “The Door of No Return”.  (re the last pic:  the ferry sailed by the Global Mercy, a large floating hospital.  Full disclosure - I’ve done a monthly donation thing to this organization for years, they perform surgeries on people of little means, who would otherwise never be able to receive them.  As the CC Guidelines correctly warn against blatantly soliciting for third parties, I’ll merely say that this organization….exists).   😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Traffic in Dakar is delightfully chaotic, with a few stoplights here and there for no apparent reason.  

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

(first photo was actually on the mainland, not the island.  Combining to be concise)

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by shark b8

[topkatz]

Hard to believe the adventure is nearly over. We'll have to treat it like an 8-day cruise now. 😉

 

 

[shark b8]

Cape Verde Islands remind me a little of up-country Galapagos - sharp, angular, largely barren, volcanic.  Also towns are considerably more upscale than the last few ports, more cars, fewer motorbikes, etc.  We visited the usual marketplaces, etc.

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by shark b8

[shark b8]

Around Mindelo.    (Second pic was lunch place - yes, that’s the Sojourn in the distance, dead center)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by shark b8

[SLSD]

On 5/16/2023 at 2:33 PM, shark b8 said:

Spectacular, enormous sculpture on a bluff over Dakar, but the tour literature says there’s a certain amount of controversy - a $27+million price tag, and apparently it was created in North Korea.

 

 

Wow.  What a heroic sculpture--but it does have the "communist" look to it.  Not a criticism--just an observation.  

[SLSD]

1 minute ago, shark b8 said:

Around Mindelo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm going to be sad when your World Cruise is over.  Do you think you could just stay onboard indefinitely and keep us informed and entertained?

[galeforce9]

Which tour was this please (Mindelo)

[shark b8]

We stopped at a guitar (and violin, viola, etc) designer and builder’s shop.  Makes really beautiful stuff.  And then he (and friends and father-in-law) gave us a short, really fun concert.