There is no Ebola in The Gambia. Not a sign of it - so why are the hotels nearly empty? We stayed at our usual haunt - more staff than guests! The flight going out was cancelled and passengers transferred to the next 'plane - same on the way home and with seats to spare. The Gambians are suffering, not from some vile disease but from our fear of it. Many employees depend on tips to supplement their wages; tips are essential to enable, for instance, them to travel home late at night by taxi and to return to work the next day - apart from buying food to feed the family (one of my friends supports 16 family members on a tiny wage), pay the rent, pay school fees for the children, pay health care costs ... GOES helps many people - 66 students, two schools and a clinic at the last count but the country needs you! Just go and lie on a sunbed for a week and you'll provide employment. Travel about a little, ask to visit the home compound of your waiter/room boy/the gardener and see how people really live. You'll be safe, you'll be fed - you may even be offered a bed for the night. The generosity of the local people knows no bounds - does yours?
Sorry for the rant.
No, I'm not.
Tom
PS - there is no Ebola in The Gambia ...
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