We arrived at Tanji fishing village as the sun was beginning to set.
Dozens of colourful fishing boats were anchored just off shore as fishermen brought in their catch for the day.
Bucket loads of barracuda, butterfish and captain fish made their way into the thick crowds of the market.
Women in vibrant patterned dresses laid the fish out on makeshift stalls amid a frenzy of bartering, with well worn dalasi bills changing hands.
The buyers hurriedly wheelbarrowed their purchases to the storage area - a refrigerator graveyard with row upon row of rusty old chest freezers that hadn’t seen electricity in decades.
The fish were packed into them with ice bought from the main trading depot, keeping them from spoiling in the intense heat, if only for a day.
Just beyond the freezers, salted fish were laid out in the sun to dry, while others were packed into smokehouses with the smell of the smouldering wood wafting through the air.
The sights, the sounds the chaos - it was almost disorientating. But there was no mistaking were I was - I was in The Gambia.
NEW ROUTE
December in Manchester generally means grey skies, freezing temperatures and lots of rain.
The fairy lights, cosy shacks and glühwein of the Christmas markets only do so much to lift the gloom, and the urge for some winter sun inevitably creeps in.
A perfect time then for the Gambia Experience to launch their new route from Manchester to the The Gambia, with the first flight set to take off on December 16.
The Gambia is a destination that offers not only guaranteed 30-plus degree heat and sunshine, but lots of adventure.
It’s just two hours further down the African coast than the Canary Islands but it feels like a whole other world.
I stayed at the Ngala Lodge, a luxury boutique hotel perched on cliffs above a secluded cove overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
The hotel has a reputation as being the best in the country, and when I mentioned I was staying there to people who’d been to The Gambia before I got the kind of impressed but slightly jealous response you might expect when telling someone your eldest has just been accepted to study medicine at Oxford.
On arrival, the other guests and I were greeted by the hotel manager and a glass of refreshing Wonjo juice - a local non-alcoholic drink made from dried sorrel flowers which would probably set you back £5 a litre in your local vegan grocery store back home.
My suite was large, beautifully decorated and looked out over the ocean.
The balcony alone was bigger than some city-centre flats.
Some suites have their own hot tubs, while others have their own mini pools.
The Ngala Lodge boasts one of the best restaurants in The Gambia.
The dining area is on a large open terrace which overlooks the ocean and hotel’s grounds.
The menu has choices from around the world including freshly made pasta and Thai food, as well as a wide selection of locally-sourced fresh fish.
Guests have a choice of two different pools, including an infinity pool overlooking the ocean which is a fantastic place to wile away the hours with a local Julbrew beer or cocktail.
The Gambia is known as the “smiling coast”, a phrase which might well have been devised at the lodge.
The staff were all incredibly friendly and attentive and the no kids rule means that the lodge is an oasis of calm and tranquility.
THINGS TO VISIT
It may be tempting to stay relaxing by the pool or on the beach all day, but it would be a great shame to miss out on what The Gambia has to offer.
The Gambia is a haven for bird watchers and has attracted celebrity twitcher Chris Packham for years.
Up at the crack of dawn one morning I went on an excursion meandering through the mangroves in a traditional pirogue with our expert guide Lamin Tamba.
Over the course of the morning we saw over 30 different species of exotic birds including woodpeckers, pied kingfishers, African pied hornbills, giant kingfishers and snake birds.
People wanting to see larger wildlife, such as rhinos or giraffes, can take a day trip to Senegal, a country which completely surrounds The Gambia like a giant Pacman.
Britain exerted its influence in The Gambia for almost 400 years, but despite this the country has preserved its cultural heritage.
The Kachikally Crocodile Pool is just one of many testaments to this.
The sacred waters are home to scores of crocodiles, and women bathe in its waters as part of fertility rituals.
A jeep ride down dirt roads with potholes so big even the council would feel obliged to repair them, took us to the aptly named Paradise Beach.
There you can grab a drink at the Rainbow Bar and watch some traditional Gambian wrestling.
Known locally as borreh, it's more like Olympic wrestling than WWE - but on acid.
Drums are pounded throughout as the fighters psych themselves up dancing round the ring.
When inside, two men will lock onto each other and try to wrestle the other to the ground.
I visited the crocodile pool and wrestling as part of the Gambia Experience's six-in-one tour which also took us to the Tanji fishing village and the Serrekunda market, a thriving shopping hub filled with stalls selling a colourful array of vegetables, spices and clothes.
Nightlife outside the hotels is focused on the Senegambia strip - a very touristy area filled with restaurants bars and nightclubs.
Wandering down the strip without a local guide will give you an insight into what it's like to be a celebrity.
Young local men affectionately known as “bumsters” will soon pounce on you like teens on Justin Beiber (or whoever it is the kids like these days), offering to show you around.
Some tourists see them as a nuisance but others will take them up on their offer, partly to stop being harassed by others but also as a chance to meet some local people.
LGBTQ RIGHTS
The Gambia, like a lot of countries in this region has a poor record when it comes to LGBTQ rights.
Same sex relationships in The Gambia are illegal and the situation isn’t likely to improve any time soon.
Committing an “act of gross indecency” in public is also an offence and can result in a five year jail sentence.
THE MANCHESTER CONNECTION
The Gambia Experience’s route to the country may be new, but the people there are already familiar with Manchester.
Gambians are in love with two of Manchester’s biggest exports - United and Vimto.
Vimto billboards line the main street from the airport to the capital city, proclaiming “You can tell who’s drinking Vimto.”
Roadside cafes have Vimto umbrellas and Vimto chalkboards - there are even entire bars painted purple with huge Vimto logos painted on them.
Whether it be United or Vimto, it seems The Gambia is already in love with Manchester, perhaps soon Manchester will be in love with The Gambia.
FACT BOX
The Gambia Experience ’s flight service commences for the winter season on December 16 with Enter Air.
Monday morning departure slots will run up until April 27, 2020.
The Gambia Experience offers holidays from £479pp including Manchester flights and hotel transfers, based on seven nights b&b in a two grade hotel - (African Village/13 January 2020).
Holidays at luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge are priced from £1199pp, based on two sharing a suite on bed & breakfast including Manchester flights and transfers (selected April 2020 departures).
Book at Gambia.co.uk , tel: 01489 866939.
