Leaving Africa

Day: 42
Location: Yoff, Senegal
Weather: balmy but breezy = 28 degrees C
Health: good
Accomodation: Alitalia flight
Price, room: 0K CFA
Shower: no
Morale: 5
Total spend: 28K CFA

AW: After sleeping in and taking one last pass through the market in Bamako, we hopped a minibus to Colaba, and then a taxi from there to the airport. There were some very relaxed formalities, and then we had a smooth 1.5 hour flight, in a venerable DC9, with a bumpy landing in Dakar. Compare to 36 hrs (or never) by bus and 50 hrs by train, with the plane costing 4x and 2x respectively, and it doesn't seem like such a raw deal.

For old times sake we decided to kick back at the Hotel Cap Ouest, a short walk from the airport. It seems to be under new management with a flurry of improvements and more guests. We also had a farewell beer with Momo (he insists that it's no problem, despite his genuine Muslim beliefs). He brought carvings along to sell and was wondering if we had any spare currency on us (nope).

We did learn one interesting thing: evidently the renter had passed the Pajero (it was the Rob and Momo show at this point) on its way back to Dakar from Kaolack, seeing it running in ostensibly good health, which makes it more logical that he didn't suspect much and asked only for 15K CFA. Momo told him we had done Saint Louis and Lac Rose before swinging through Saly down to Kaolack and back up.

According to Momo, the problem turned out to be a cracked bottom cylinder that was caused after the second head gasket was installed. The car evidently gets warmer with a new gasket, and we failed to completely change out the water for fresh cold stuff in the morning, and so caused the third major overheat. If true, that would be news to me, but who knows.

Tonight we again saw people running for fitness on the streets at night and realized that we hadn't encountered recreational exercise (other than for children) since leaving Dakar.

Then we said goodbye to Africa and walked to the airport.

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