General Tips
> Purchase a good travel guide with local maps (see the recommended reading section).
> Be prepared to hear "hello, how are you?" all the time and take the time to ask the same and answer back "fine, fine" at the very least (just be weary of the bumsters). The Gambia is a friendly country and Gambians like to chat with others, especially with visitors. It also a social norm to first have such a conversation about how someone is doing before conducting any further business.
> Gambians (not many though, fortunately) can be rude to visitors, as can people in any country. And when they are rude they can be very racist and vulgar. If you attempt to get into an argument with a Gambian you will quickly find yourself surrounded by more Gambians yelling and screaming and making a scene. Many Gambians love drama. It's best to just walk away and ignore rude comments and gestures.
> Relax! The Gambia is on GMT (Gambian Maybe Time) and life just moves at a slower pace here. Understand this and you will enjoy your time here a lot more. Also keep this in mind when ordering food at a restaurant or planning to go on an excursion.
> Have a sense of humour. This will go a long way with your interactions with Gambians.
> Asking Gambians for directions can often be a problem as Gambians do not want to be rude and say that they do not know, and so they will either answer "yes" to any of your questions and/or send you in an unknown direction. Also, when a Gambian explains that a certain distance is only a 5min walk, this generally means it can be anywhere from a 1min to a 60min walk.
> Travellers should not photograph government buildings, airports, military installations or embassies. People, for that matter, do not like being photographed either, so it is better to ask permission first (you may get a "no" or be asked for money).
> Always carry around some form of ID, either your passport or even a photocopy as you may be asked at any time to produce your ID, especially when on the road (even when in a taxi).
> Photocopy all your ID (passport, driver’s license, etc.) and leave a copy with a family member at home, and keep two copies for yourself in separate places.
> Drink enough water (even if you are not thirsty), at least 3 litres of non-alcoholic fluids a day, and at least 5 litres if it is very hot or if you have diarrhoea. Keep re-hydration sachets in your first-aid kit for in case of the latter.
> Use insect repellent! Especially on your feet and ankles if the skin there is exposed and especially at dawn and dusk if you are outside.
> Use sunscreen! You don't want to look like a lobster hiding from the sun after your first day here.
> Most items for sale in The Gambia can be bargained for, other than items with price-tags already on them such as in grocery stores, also some fruit, vegetables, and tapalapa sandwiches that may have fixed prices, and items in the bitikos. Services for that matter can also be bargained for, for example, taxi fares, pirogue fares, guide services, etc.
Bargaining in the markets is especially needed as most vendors will give you a "first price" that will be likely triple of what you can actually end up purchasing the item for. For example, if you ask a vendor how much something is (good to say in the local language, they may give you a better price) and he/she says "500 Dalasi", you can return your offer by saying "I pay you 150 Dalasi."
The vendor may laugh and say he/she hasn't sold anything all day and that you are their first customer. Then another offer will come from him/her, "300 Dalasi" and you can eventually settle on about half or a third of what the original first price was.
Try to not be too interested in what you are purchasing and walking away after hearing too high of a price can sometimes encourage the vendor to lower his/her price even more. Also, purchasing more than one item can often result in a better 'bulk price.'
Remember though, if you really like something, it may be worth paying a higher price for it. Sometimes an item can be unique and original and paying US$5 would not do the workmanship justice.
Common prices for some items:
rubber flip flops - D25
sarong - D150
beaded bracelet or necklace - D25
small wooden sculptures of animals - D50
plain tapalapa - D5
small bottled water - D10
> Eat plenty of yoghurt for several weeks before you begin your travels. This will give your stomach a good dose of healthy bacteria needed to fight off all the new bacteria your body will be exposed to when in a new environment. Local yoghurt is also available.
> Pack iodine in your first aid kit, this can be used not only as an effective disinfectant but also as an effective sanitizer of drinking water (3 drops per litre, let stand for 30 minutes).
> Keep tissue paper and travel wipes (wet-naps for example) on you at all times. Although some public toilets will have toilet paper/roll, many will not or have simply run out. Also, as power and thus water outages occur quite often, its always a good idea to keep some moist tissues with you, especially those with antibacterial properties.
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