A long time coming...

Dakar saw their first rain today - much later than usual, which had the general population a little concerned and caused the generation and adoption of a number of theories as to why the rain had not yet come. We've been told the delay has been God's punishment for sins, or that President Wade had his religious people (Marabouts) run some climate interference so he can finish his many construction projects, but the winning reasons has got to be because women are starting to wear pants! Whatever the reason, it came and it came hard. The streets around the Mission office where we are staying were flooded with over a foot of water...a day after the very same streets were flooded with sewage!

Our weary traveler also arrived...24 hours after leaving Niaguis! She chose to take the cheapest but slowest form of transport here - a Ndiaga Ndiaye (a 32-seater Mercedes van named after the first person who introduced them to Senegal). Ndiaga Ndiayes are recognizable by their white colour, and the Alhamdoulilahi (Thanks to God) painted across the front. They also have no timetables, and usually set off when they're full, or when the driver feels like it. As Fanta will attest, they also take longer because they stop every few hundred metres to drop or collect passengers, and they have frequent tire punctures and engine failures. I think we'll help her take a more efficient way home!

You can see why flat tires are so common - fully loaded, they don't take corners very easily!