One Week To Go: A Shelly Good-Bye

Yesterday marked the one week count down to our time here in Gambia. The past two years have flown by and we're starting to feel a bit sad about leaving. Saturday was a beautiful day and we soaked up the last of the beach before we head back to DC. Over the past 2 years we have spent a significant time at the beach. When the bumsters, cows, horses and trash can be avoided it is lovely and we will certainly miss being able to walk down to the beach after work and put our feet in the water. The beaches here are often littered with pretty shells and we've managed to accumulate quite a collection over time. Rather than just leave them in the house or throw them out Zack came up with the idea of having a shell ceremony to return the shells to the ocean and also celebrate all the lovely moments we've had on Gambia's beaches, particularly the Kartong beach. So last night we stayed at out our favorite eco-lodge, Sandele down in Kartong on the Gambia-Senegal border. Apart from the lovely setting, it was a good chance to catch the wonderful owners Geri and Maurice who we have got to know pretty well during our time here, it was sad to say good-bye. The photos today are of the shell throwing ceremony that took place (just the two of us) yesterday evening. It was warm, the wind had dropped, the sun was setting and the beach was deserted. Although we were just throwing a bunch of shells in the water it symbolized more to us and although I am excited to move on from Gambia, I started to feel quite sad about leaving what feels (somewhat) like our home. I know my photo a day project did not work at all but I will write another blog before we leave next weekend.