An Early Start Before Sunrise

Just after 5:00 a.m., the alarm went off. There was little time to hesitate — we packed the car quickly, skipped proper morning hygiene, and breakfast had to wait. At 6:00 a.m., all rally teams met between the hotels in Saint‑Louis.

The reason for the early start was clear: a long and exhausting day lay ahead. Around 600 kilometers through Senegal, mostly inland, followed by the border crossing into The Gambia. And border times here are never predictable.

We had prepared a bit: baguettes and spreadable cheese were already packed so we could at least eat something in the car.

Leaving Saint‑Louis in Convoy

Driving through Saint‑Louis as a large convoy with hazard lights on was already an experience in itself. It may look odd, but it helps traffic recognise that the vehicles belong together.

Once outside the city, progress was reasonably good — until the first major incident of the day.

A Serious Accident at the Last Fuel Stop

Around 10:00 a.m., at the final fuel stop before the long inland stretch, two accidents happened almost simultaneously.

First, one rally participant clipped another vehicle in her blind spot. Fortunately, this resulted only in sheet‑metal damage, which was resolved relatively quickly. Much more serious was the second accident: the organisation vehicle was hit from behind by a motorbike carrying three people. The collision caused personal injuries.

Team Flinke Fenneks immediately stepped in — Fine, who is a medical doctor, rushed to the scene and provided first aid. Medical help was challenging, as emergency care here is handled very differently than in Europe, and cooperation from bystanders was sometimes hesitant.

It later became clear that the motorbike had no working brakes at all. One of the riders had suffered a broken leg and had to be transported to hospital. Local police arrived and quickly clarified that the rally vehicle and organisation team were not at fault.

Nevertheless, the paperwork took time — nearly three hours, until reports were written, all parties documented, and the road could be cleared. So we had some wait, but the local kids enjoyed it :-).

Through Senegal’s Interior

By the time we continued, we were already running far behind schedule.

Driving through Senegal is demanding:

• partially paved roads
• deep potholes
• villages with sand tracks instead of streets
• donkey carts, handcarts, overloaded motorbikes
• animals everywhere

Constant attention is required. Traffic rules are flexible, overtaking happens unpredictably, and road conditions change from one kilometer to the next.

Around midday, the next setback occurred: another radiator failure in one of the rally vehicles. Fortunately, we found a large tree providing some shade while the service team carried out yet another impressive repair — once again under harsh conditions.

Reaching the Gambian Border

By early evening, we finally reached the border.

The exit from Senegal went relatively smoothly: a small sandy crossing, basic buildings, children knocking on windows asking for food or money. Trying to eat during this time was difficult — once food appeared, attention increased immediately.

After crossing into The Gambia, the entry process began:

• passport stamping
• fingerprints
• vehicles checked and registered (important because all cars will later be auctioned and formally imported)

With 120 participants, everything naturally takes time. Still, things moved forward steadily.

We were welcomed directly at the border by representatives of the local NGO, who briefed us on the upcoming days and accompanied us through the formalities — a huge relief after such a long day.

Police Escort Into the Night

After regrouping, a police escort was assigned. While appreciated, it also meant a slow pace, which was challenging because we still had about 200 kilometers to drive.

It was already after 9:00 p.m., and navigation predicted arrival at the hotel somewhere after midnight.

The night drive was exhausting:

• bicycles without lights
• animals on the road — cows, goats, dogs
• sporadic villages
• tired drivers

A further tyre failure required another stop, and blinking hazard lights, concentration, and fatigue blended into a long, tense stretch of road.

Arrival at Lemon Creek – and Disappointment

Finally, around 1:00 a.m., we arrived at Lemon Creek Hotel, near the coast, not directly in Banjul.

What followed was, unfortunately, one of the worst hotel check‑ins we’ve ever experienced. Names were missing, keys incorrect, rooms confused.
Some teams received their rooms as late as 3:30 a.m..

We were first taken to one room, then woken again and forced to change rooms because of a booking error — despite our extreme exhaustion.

Worse still, the condition of the hotel was disappointing:

• dirty rooms
• towels that looked already used
• worn furniture
• a grimy refrigerator
• strong noise from the inner courtyard

Rest was almost impossible.

After more than 20 hours on the road, emotions were understandably tense. This was not what we had hoped for, especially considering we planned to stay here several days.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, we will visit the NGO headquarters around 11:00 a.m., where we’ll receive a detailed programme for the upcoming days in The Gambia.

We’ll also seriously consider changing accommodation — this place is not ideal for recovery after such demanding stages.

For now, all we can do is try to get some rest and process a very intense day.