We eleven flew yesterday from Brussels to Dakar, Senegal by way of Casablanca, Morocco.  We landed in Dakar today at 1:00 am.  There were already twelve hours of travelling and waiting behind us.  Fatigue was accumulating.

We were bringing bags of stuff for the kids in Toubacouta as well as our luggage.  We trooped out of the airport pushing five very full carts.  Our friend Ousmane was waiting for us with a large van that featured a roof rack which was ready for everything.

Another friend – Mamadou – welcomed us at the airport.  As I walked outside, here comes a guy introducing himself as “Mamadou’s brother” with a hand that was trying to replace mine on my suitcase handle.  I yelled out “No!” and the fellow retreated into the shadows.

Another local man sidled up to me and asked for money, citing all the invaluable help he was giving us.  As far as I could tell he had nothing to do with Ousmane.  I yelled “No!” again.

It was a huge job for Ousmane and Mamadou to load all our stuff on the roof rack and then tie a tarp down over it.  But eventually we were off.

It’s a four-hour ride from Dakar Airport to Toubacouta and we didn’t get going until at least 2:00.  My eyes were sinking slowly.

Soon we were stopped by a roadside police officer.  The man spoke with some urgency in a language I didn’t know, but Ousmane handled it like a pro … so calm.

Would you believe that four more officers stopped us further along?  That is, four more stops.  Ousmane had just been the main person hauling heavy containers to the van’s roof and here he was fending off (and sometimes paying off) a crew of uniformed police.  I was impressed, even as my body was drifting into nothingness.

Just before 6:00 am, Ousmane felt the luggage shifting.  He stopped the van and got to work, with a little help from his friends.  I got out for a much needed walk-around.  My legs had started to cramp.

6:00 am is the first of five prayer times in the Muslim day.  Just down the street behind the van was a well-lit mosque.  And a wavering voice sang to eleven tourists from on high.  The tones were surreal in the darkness.  I took another photo of the street ahead.  It was eerie in a sweet way.

We rolled into Toubacouta around 8:00.  There’s more to say but my eyes are closing. 

Tomorrow will no doubt be another event in the history of mankind