Good Day – October 16th
Today was the day to leave St. Louis and make our way toward Dakar. We had no intention of staying too close to or in Dakar itself, but we needed to be there for several reasons. One was to have the carnet de passage for the vehicle officially signed off. We only had a temporary paper, valid for seven days, and it needed to be finalized at the Department of Customs in Dakar.
We also needed to organize visas for Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, and Sierra Leone—on our growing to-do list for Monday. So, off we went in the direction of Dakar.
Stops Along the Way
We stopped in Kaminer, where we parked near some people repairing a car radiator—one that would have been scrapped long ago anywhere else, but here it looked like they were managing to fix it. It’s always impressive what people can do with limited resources.
I treated myself to what I called a “long coffee.” The person serving it poured it back and forth between two small cups from about 30 or 40 inches apart, several times, which gave it a unique froth and taste. It was actually quite good!
I also discovered a bottle of bissap, a drink made from hibiscus flowers. It’s very tasty, and locals say it’s healthy, too. They even make jam from it. A lovely surprise along the road.
First Police Stop
We hadn’t driven even a kilometer after leaving when we hit our first police stop. Here, the police don’t usually ask for passports—they just want your driver’s license and maybe an excuse to collect some money. Unfortunately, I hadn’t yet put my seatbelt on, and that earned me a ticket.
Initially, it looked like it would be 8,000 CFA, but after some back and forth and directions to the local police station, the officer there reduced it to 3,000 CFA—about five or six dollars. Not too bad in the end, and we collected our documents and continued our journey.
Second Police Stop
As we entered Saly, near M’Bour on the coast, we encountered another policeman. He decided that our car document was invalid because one corner had been cut off. He wanted us to go to the police station for verification. Between what Johan and I told him, he changed his mind, but then decided to cite us for something else—the rear tinted windows, which are standard on the car.
We ended up at the police station anyway, where they wrote us four separate tickets since each one can only total 3,000 CFA. That brought us to 12,000 CFA—around $20. I could have argued that the windows were legal in the Netherlands, but for $20, it didn’t seem worth the effort. We paid and got back on our way.
Arrival at Hotel Blue Africa
We finally reached Hotel Blue Africa, a charming place right on the beach surrounded by palm trees. The ocean was inviting, so we went for a quick swim at high tide. It was refreshing but a bit tricky due to the rocks beneath the surface—you had to be careful not to bump into anything.
It was our first real dip in the water since being in Africa, as most places don’t have swimming pools. The ocean water was warm, and the experience was worth it. Dinner at the hotel was simple but satisfying—grilled fish, French fries, and a cold Flag beer to finish the day.
Reflections on the Day
All in all, it was an eventful day filled with small adventures, minor frustrations, and a few lessons about patience. Between the police stops, the roadside discoveries, and ending the day by the sea, it reminded me how travel in Africa is never dull. Thanks for being along for the ride, and we’ll see you tomorrow.
