Sunburn: McAlpine in Africa: Mauritania and Senegal Roundup

Now that we have crossed our third African frontier heres a little roundup of the goodies we’ver enjoyed over the last four weeks.

Looking back, the two things that stand out most for me were the tranquillity of Mauritania and the colour of Senegal. Very contrasting places in so many ways – where the Mauritanias were more reserved, the Senegalese have been boisterous; the subtle colour changes of the desert in Mauritania vs. the onslaught of brightness in Senegal; the traditional call to prayer from the imams in Mauritania, the bizarre attempts at acapella by those in Senegal. Both sounding like a camel in a headlock. The sense of Mauritania sitting halfway between the Arabic north and sub-Saharan south where Senegal feels far more like the Africa I’m familiar with. More children with flies on their faces, for example. And, of course, the fact that our time in Mauritania was dominated by the desert with a paucity of life while Senegal was dominated by the river where all forms of life abounded.

Very different places. Both very cool. Both with off-key imams.

Here are some trip stats:

Borders crossed: 3

Days on the road: 56

4am rousings by imams: 56:

Mileage: 6 519km

Monies raised to date: R13 150

Modes of transport used: 6 (camel, horse-carriage, donkey-cart, pirogue, sept-place taxi, bus)

Combined percentage of bodies burned: 196%

Childrens’ hands shaken: 346

Number of different bacteria on average child’s hand: 13

No. carrots eaten: 2