Michelle writes: I felt compelled to write about my second visit to The Gambia, it was all so different and held so many new experiences for me than from my first visit back in February this year. I also appear to have 'dodged' the bumsters – as I got to know and befriend a few the first visit – hey life is hard they need to live yeh! And you fail to mention poverty in Gambia – as a 'developing country' in your news letter! I appreciate bumsters can be annoying – I just tend to say 'no abaracca' (thank you) and emphasise I'm staying at Kololi compound like a Gambian and they leave me alone!

Yes, I stayed at a compound/lodge (£6 per night) and was no 5 star hotel – but if travellers want to experience The Gambia, what better way than to live the true Gambian experience? Ok sometimes it is a trickle from the cold water shower, the electricity is on 50% of the time, the two ring gas cooker is outside, and there’s a flea bitten dog guarding the gates to the compound..but hey my Gambian friends can visit – they are not excluded as they were when I stayed on a complex. I'd also like to mention the compound like the one mentioned below was moderately clean enough!

The benefits of befriending Gambian people whether they are bumsters or taxi drivers or people from my friend Fakeba's compound – and they do not have the luxury of a toilet or running water there (water from the well in buckets) – or adequate schools for the children – (a tin hut!) is sharing experience. One of the best true experiences was sharing Koriteh holiday – the end of Ramadam with 14 adults and 10 children all living in one compound (about 8 one bedroomed houses) and sharing together excellent food from 4 large bowls and green tea. The children so nice and happy with no toys dressed in their Sunday best, the women worked so hard to make the meal. And other children and friends all come around from other compounds..is sooo nice.

So I have my best soul mate Fakeba to show me around – I am charged as a Gambian not as a tourist..and my money is going into the local economy and not to the 'middle man' in an hotel! This cuts my costs down by at least 50%. So try the market in Serrekunda – I feel I was the only white person there – but food shopping is much cheaper than the supermarket – and as fresh – though the meat market was something else! (Very hot with flies and smelled!) though the food my friends cooked for me after – wow! So I return in kind..it is not hard, what I can save I can give – especially to the children. Please don’t ever go to the Gambia without some clothes for them or stationery for their school (special mention for Karin Nursery School, Serrekunda). Or why not give stationery to the children in a compound who do not go to school – less than 50% of the children can read or write.

So my new experiences apart from those I mention above? Seeing dolphins coming back from St James Island – look out for them, and its a wonderful swim there! Seeing the women going out on their small canoes to pick oysters at Lamin Lodge.. my favourite place.. Seeing monitor lizards at Bijilo (monkey park). I'd also recommend going to Brufut fishing village – I rode by bike – but I’m sure there are easier ways to get there – saw cows being herded on the beach and the boats were so colourful – is sooo beautiful.

I would say more about less beautiful encounters I witnessed between my friends and the police…. but I may get censored!

I'd like to give a special mention to Kotu Point beach bar..one of the best and only bars that does not discriminate against Gambians trying to make a living by selling things.. or 'hanging out' there… the views are wonderful as are my friends and the music there – and especially 'bongo man' who will teach anyone to play! I’d also like to say to all you tourist not happy with Gambia – please remember it is a developing country that does not have the same access to health care, sanitation, education, social security and employment we in the west are privileged to have.. the culture is different – celebrate it along with all the similarities of humanity we all share! Share a smile on the smiley coast yeah – it is nice to be nice! I'm going back for more smiles next March… and especially looking forward to meeting my friend Fakeba's family who are Mandinka 180 miles up the river Gambia:)

1. The USA has more personal computers than the next 7 countries combined.

2. Americans and Icelanders go to the pictures on average 5 times a year, while Japanese go only once.

3. The United States spends more money on its military than the next 12 nations combined.

4. Kazakhstan is the world's largest landlocked country.

5. Most people live in poverty in most African countries.

6. Only two countries in the world are doubly landlocked: Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan.

7. Senior gentlemen might consider a trip to Russia, where there's two over 65 women for every man.

8. Sick of crowds? Try Greenland where there's 38 sq km per person.

9. Sri Lanka has lowest divorce rate in the world – and the highest rate of female suicide.

10. South Korea is the heliport capital of the world.

There are several different types of antimalarial medication, the choice of which depends on such factors as area to be visited, length of stay, your own medical history, medication you may already be taking, type of holiday (hotel, cruise, trekking etc).

These drugs can be loosely divided between the older formulations (Chloroquine and Proguanil) and the more recent preparations licensed for antimalarial use (Doxycycline, Mefloquine and Malarone).

Chloroquine has been used for around 50 years and during that time vast areas of the ‘malarious world’ have become resistant. As a 4-aminoquinoline derivative chloroquine prevents nucleic acid synthesis in actively dividing erythrocitic malarial parasites and thus DNA synthesis is affected. The drug is taken as two tablets weekly on the same day of each week, Countries still sensitive to Chloroquine include Costa Rica, Belize and Mexico.

Proguanil is a Biguanide which is metabolised in the body to cycloguanil, an active form that blocks the production of folic acid and subsequent synthesis of DNA. The human cells are not affected by this action except during pregnancy where your doctor will usually give a folic acid supplement to counteract a possible shortfall in the mothers cells.

As with Chloroquine there is widespread resistance now to Proguanil and it is often given in areas where the traveller is unable to take Chloroquine for some reason (such as sensitivity to the product). The Chloroquine and Proguanil when combined in one pack as Paludrine/Avloclor travel pack form a more formidable antimalarial and can be used in many more areas where the individual drugs would not be effective enough.

In the Travel Pack of Paludrine/Avloclor produced by Astra Zeneca the dosage of Proguanil is two daily which would be taken at the same time and the Avloclor (Chloroquine) is two weekly, also taken together. (A calendar pack gives an easy format and prevents mistakes in dosage whilst away.) Proguanil/Chloroquine is used in countries such as Sri Lanka, Nepal and most of India. These preparations can be purchased without prescription from Pharmacies.

The ‘newer’ group of antimalarials are helping to prevent malaria in areas where resistance has become a major problem, the malaria parasites being incredibly adept at mutating and hence overcoming the drugs used against them.

Malarone is Atovoquone and Proguanil combined to give a combination of an antiprotozoal and a biguanide. The dosage is one tablet daily for adults usually taken one or two days before entering the malarious area, during and for seven days on leaving. There is also now a paediatric formulation for children.

Lariam (Mefloquine) is a 4-aminoquinoline (as in Chloroquine) and in adults is taken as one tablet weekly. To check for side effects your doctor will often prescribe these at least two and a half weeks before travel, during and for four weeks on return.

Last but not least is Doxycycline a well tried and tested tetracycline antibiotic given as the hyclate. This was found to have marked antimalarial properties as well as being an antibiotic. It is usually given one week before travel (if it has never been taken before), during and for four weeks on return.

These last three products are prescription only and can only be obtained from a Pharmacy on supply of a private prescription issued by your doctor or travel clinic. Depending on your medical history etc., your doctor will decide which of these preparations are suitable for your travels.

Chloroquine for example is not normally given if you suffer from psoriasis or epilepsy. If taking Warfarin for blood thinning always check this out with your doctor, and likewise if pregnant or hoping to become pregnant then again you must consult your doctor first before taking an antimalarial drugs.

Your G.P. or Travel Nurse will check out the area you are about to visit and together with medical history and knowledge of the type of holiday will prescribe the relevant antimalarial.

For prices and supply of any of these preparations you can log on to www.travelpharm.com or ring us on 01395 233771