A Restless Night and an Early Morning

Sleep didn’t come easy last night. It was loud — far louder than expected. Around seven in the morning, the housekeeping staff were already arguing loudly in the inner courtyard, and a cat made sure everyone knew it was hungry. Long before the alarm clock would have gone off, we were awake. It was not the calm, restful night we had hoped for after finally reaching The Gambia.

Nevertheless, we went down for breakfast. Basic, but acceptable — and coffee was available, which helped. While eating, it quickly became clear that staying in this hotel for the remaining days would not be the relaxation we needed. So we made a decision: we would look for alternative accommodation today.

Finding a New Place

With some time before our appointment at the NGO headquarters, we drove just 750 meters down the road to a neighbouring hotel and asked whether they had availability. The difference was immediate.
A proper resort atmosphere, friendly staff, a calm environment. We were shown a bungalow, liked it straight away, and reserved it for the afternoon.

That was already a very positive start to the day.

NGO Headquarters — And a Small Detour

Around 11:00 a.m., we were supposed to meet at the NGO headquarters. The GPS coordinates provided turned out to be… misleading. We ended up somewhere entirely different and couldn’t find the location.

Fortunately, on the way we ran into Team Wüstlinge and Team Flinke Fenneks, who were also heading there. We joined forces — and almost immediately, one of the NGO vehicles passed by, recognised us, and guided us straight to the headquarters. Problem solved.

Information About the Vehicle Auction

At the headquarters, we were welcomed by Heinz, the founder and head of the NGO, and his son Aaron. After a general exchange of stories and impressions, Heinz addressed all teams.

The main topic: Sunday’s vehicle auction.

• Meeting at 09:00 a.m.
• Arrival at the stadium around 09:30 a.m.
• An unusually high number of vehicles
• Likely lasting until late afternoon or early evening

According to Heinz, he couldn’t remember an auction with so many cars.

We also received practical advice:

• Empty the vehicles completely
• Clean them thoroughly
• A clean car sells far better than one still covered in Saharan dust

Which made perfect sense — after days in the desert, our red Discovery hardly looked red anymore.

Donating Equipment and Clearing the Vehicle

We had already planned to donate many items we no longer needed. The NGO runs its own vehicle workshop, schools, medical facilities, and supports employees with equipment.

So unloading the cars felt almost like Christmas:

• spare parts
• oil, brake fluid
• tools
• vehicle accessories

We donated our full spare‑parts kit and tools to the workshop. One fuel canister stayed with the car; another was donated. Around us, other teams dismantled built‑in furniture, shelves, and storage systems — everything that could help locally was passed on.

It took about two hours, but gradually the car became lighter and emptier.

A Proper Car Wash — At Last

Next stop: the NGO workshop’s washing area.
The team there worked with incredible dedication. High‑pressure cleaner, sponges, cloths — inside and out, wheel arches and underbody, every corner carefully cleaned. A real hand wash, far beyond expectations.

Naturally, we left a generous tip. It was well deserved.

Goodbye to the Old Hotel

With the car clean, we returned to Lemon Creek to collect our remaining belongings and officially check out. To their credit, the hotel staff handled this fairly: we only paid the deposit already made, not the full stay.

That felt reasonable — and closed that chapter.

A New Bungalow and an Unexpected Setback

We moved into our new bungalow — quiet, clean, comfortable. Exactly what we needed.

Unfortunately, the day also brought a setback: Viator began feeling unwell — chills and digestive issues. We decided immediately to slow everything down. Rest became the priority.

The afternoon was spent sleeping, recovering, and ordering a late lunch via room service. No rush, no pressure.

Looking Ahead

We’ll keep the evening very quiet and focus on recovery.
Tomorrow, around 11:00 a.m., we’re scheduled to visit several NGO projects, a key part of why this rally exists.

For now, rest is the most important thing.

Some days are about progress.
Others are about taking care of yourself.
Today was the latter.