So this is the last blog of the trip. Although the Latvians were made to pay the Plymouth/Banjul Challenge all the money they had made by illegally selling their cars privately, rumour has it that they were allowed to go home leaving an IOU as they were broke! A couple of guys have been finding out how friendly the 'Smiling Coast' as it's called can be! We've camped in our tree house by the sea, dolphin spotting and getting a little under the skin of the Gambian way of life away from the cities. We've left the Honey Badger to wend his way home in his right hand drive car and wonder how many goats in trees he will see.
Thanks to Pembrokeshire College for doing a great job. We would definitely bring a Range Rover every time, just not with a VM engine. Thanks to Greens Motors for their support and enthusiasm, GDS tyres, Prolec, Peter Claughton, Tim Harvatt for finding the car, Sigma Signs for the stunning artwork, Kirsten Davies for looking after Radiant while we were away, and last but by no means least to Liz, Joy, Helen, Anna and Lowri at Pembrokeshire Tourism. Fancy a trip to see tourism in The Gambia girls? One last big thanks to Ann who has sent in encouraging or simply amusing comments along the way, and to my Dad who has been tirelessly typing this up from my texts each day. Finally thanks to the Western Telegraph for hosting this blog.
Time to plunge from an African sun to an English winter.
North to South America next!!

Recovering from 20 days on the road by decamping to a tree house overlooking the beach a long way down the coast from the hotels. Lots of eco tourism going on here, led by the brits but employing and training local villagers. Although that puts money into villages used to subsistence farming it still doesn't bring them the one thing they really want. Electricity. But rumour has it that the President is to build a beach home here so perhaps it will come sooner. Dusk has fallen. There is no electricity either in our open sided tree house, but we can still see the sea and make out a traditional fishing boat coming in to shore. They are banging drums softly on board to drive the fish into their nets. Ah, dinner calls!

11am Approx 40 excuses for cars in yesterday's parade. Great fun with police outriders, escort and traffic being stopped for our wrecks, all tooting and lights blazing through the sweltering heat to the mayor's office. There 80 sweaty Europeans and 2 Americans shuffled into grounds to be addressed by mayor's Chief Bottle Washer as mayor clearly too busy staying in air conditioned office, not 38C heat. Group photo organised in front of important civic building with important civic person and all of scruffy us. Convoy then headed to stadium for some traditional dancing to show how warm a welcome the Gambians can give. During which Adrian had his phone nicked. Now at police station reporting it. Will head down to coast today and see some of the tourism projects our fund raising goes towards. Have met the chair of the tourism organisation which receives the money raised by sale of cars, camping kit etc. We have discussed Twinning as both have same aims and goals, starting from similar points, relatively. Tourism for smaller businesses is so important here, so all can share the wealth.

And a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Alison Lewis. Looking good!

2.20pm BANJUL! We made it.




Which is more than many teams cars seem to have done.



Police escort from the ferry through town and to Safari Garden Hotel. Mission Control.



Now off on parade through town. Apparently the mayor wants to meet us and open Presidential arch for us to drive through.



Anyone would have thought we had achieved something. Latvians have sold their cars privately and illegally. Police are very cross and now they are having to pay back all the cash. Even Riga beers aren't cutting the mustard here. Very naughty.

7.00pm Great day today. Decided to go cross country today to our next destination. Armed with a map and a compass the Land Girl and Marmot brilliantly led the other four teams in a spaghetti route across sand and mud tracks, river beds and plains. We did quite a lot of encircling cattle as we headed valiantly in the wrong direction, then the right one again. There ain't no signs in the savannah! Think Top Gear goes to Africa episode. It was great fun, and our Range Rover was loving it. Even the little cars kept up. The Americans now have a fab new lease of life in their Polo. Dom got stuck in sand again. We were outside a remote village. It all turned out to see us. Led by their elder complete with bobble hat. It was 40C. They pushed us out, pointed in right direction and asked for a village photo. We took it, but where to send? Elder wrote down an address, but didn't see any post vans!

9.30pm Another night, another remote village campment. Eleven pounds for hut, dinner and breakfast. All lovely and clearly the accomodation of choice for gun runners as three turned up with big cases after dark. Diet good but simple prompting fantasy food game. Lots of greenery turning up as lack of veg here, along with junk food, milk and cheese. Ryan, the American, had the nerve to ask Rob and me how much of today's crack navigation we were unsure of. Cheeky!

No Its not a problem with the Americans Polo that is being put back togeher again as I type under the watchful eye of 30 chilren. They also enjoy trying the back door of the Range rover every 2 minutes in case it has magically become unlockd and will be now distributing cadeaux.

The Call to Prayer has been rousing us at 5am every mornng where ever we are. But todays wins the prize for the most out of tune and agressive yet. Surely a YTS. Thankfully he also enjoyed his job as little as we did and so he kept it very short. Obviously knoked off early; Excuse the typing this keyboard is french and old as the invasion of Calais. One last thing a HUGE happy birthday to my brother Simon. Right leaving the coast of Senegal to explore the swampy bits. love to you all XXX