A Relaxed Morning by the Sea

Today was meant to end in celebration: the legendary farewell party of this year’s Dresden–Dakar–Banjul Rally. Until then, however, we took things slowly. After a relaxed breakfast, we walked along the beach toward a small green area known locally as the Bijilo Monkey Park.

The park has a jungle‑like feel, dense vegetation, and a tropical atmosphere. Almost immediately, a local man approached us and offered to guide us through the area — whether this was officially organised or not remains a bit unclear, but we happily followed along.

Monkeys, Banana Negotiations, and Jungle Vibes

Walking through the park felt a bit like being in a rainforest. From certain spots, we could look through the trees directly out onto the Atlantic Ocean. As we continued, we soon encountered the first groups of monkeys.

The grey monkeys were very open and quick to approach — they had no hesitation taking bananas straight from our hands. The reddish monkeys, on the other hand, were much more shy and preferred to stay higher up in the trees.

One particular monkey climbed down and sat next to our guide on a bench. He had no interest in bananas at all. Instead, it turned out he was thirsty — and before we could react, he grabbed Viator’s water bottle and emptied it entirely. Some of it spilled into the sand, but the monkey clearly knew what he wanted and drank straight from the bottle.

We continued our leisurely walk through the park, passing a small stagnant water area — which likely explained why the monkeys preferred fresh water from unsuspecting visitors. It was a short but memorable stroll.

Pool Time Before the Evening

After leaving the park, we walked back to the hotel and spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool and on the beach. It was time to unwind before the big evening.

Later, we walked the roughly 700 meters along the beach to the Lemon Creek Hotel, where the farewell party would take place. On the way, we met Team Flinke Fenneks, who were also heading there, and continued together.

The Farewell Party Begins

The party took place on the pool terrace. A generous buffet had been prepared, drinks were flowing, and the atmosphere quickly turned festive.

After some time, Torsten from the rally organisation gave the official closing speech — reflecting on the journey, the challenges, and the shared experience.

Then came the awards — not competitive, but symbolic and full of humour:

• 🥒 The Golden Gherkin went to Team Schlumische, who kept us supplied with Spreewald gherkins in the desert
• ℹ️ “King of Information” was awarded to Team De Wiesdenfixxse, who never missed an official information evening
• 🎬 King of Cinema & Cocktails went to the Team Aachener Wüstenfüchse that organised a full desert cinema night with cocktails
• 🍦 Ice Age Award honoured the A-Team that regularly surprised everyone with ice cream — even during the auction
• ☕ Sahara Barista Award went to Team Jagged Alliance, who managed to carry a full coffee machine through the desert and served coffee wherever possible

Most importantly, the service team — the mechanics and technicians — received a special trophy. Their achievements cannot be overstated: radiators repaired, cars disassembled in the desert, and vehicles kept running against all odds.

A Special Surprise for 20 Years of the Rally

The final highlight was a surprise for the organising team: a beautifully painted engine hood, decorated with caricatures of the three main organisers — Falk, Holger, Torsten and Peggy — celebrating 20 years of the rally.

Each team was invited to sign the hood, leaving a personal mark. Of course, we added our signature as well.

There was even a short fireworks display — smuggled in by someone, apparently — and live music by the legendary Five Band rounded off the night.

One Last Walk Back

Around midnight, we said our goodbyes and walked back to the hotel along the beach.
Our bodies were still tired and not fully recovered, but the evening was too special to miss.

Now it’s time to rest again.
The rally is over.
The friendships remain.

Over the next days, we’ll slowly let everything sink in — before eventually heading back to Europe.