📍 LocationBanjul, The Gambia → Bissau, Guinea-Bissau📝 Episode NotesOn October 26th, I set out with the goal of reaching Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau. It was an ambitious travel day—283 kilometers and three border crossings: leaving The Gambia, entering Senegal, and finally entering Guinea-Bissau.The early part of the journey went smoothly. The Gambian roads were passable, my Garmin helped (mostly), and the first border crossing was a breeze. Senegal brought the usual rhythm of police and gendarmerie stops, but with patience and a good attitude, the interactions stayed friendly—even when one officer insisted on inspecting my medical kit.Everything changed once we crossed into Guinea-Bissau. I’d heard the roads were rough, but nothing prepared me for the reality: massive potholes in what used to be pavement, some half a foot across and nearly 30 inches deep. Driving became a slow dance around craters, broken asphalt, and trucks stuck mid-road. More than once, I switched to side tracks just to avoid axle-breaking holes. At one point, we pushed through enormous water-filled pits that swallowed entire sections of the road; later I learned another vehicle had gotten stuck there.Despite the chaos, there were some surprises—including paying tolls for a couple of bridges, odd considering the condition of the surrounding roads. Eventually, with an hour of darkness (which I try to avoid at all costs), we rolled into Bissau. Finding our hotel, the Hala, took some stumbling through murky streets, but we got there. The place was big and meant to be fancy, though the Wi-Fi scavenger hunt and quirky service told another story. Still, the pool the next morning made up for it.Johan will be leaving soon, so travel will shift again, but for now this journey—rough roads, border crossings, and all—was a memorable one. Grateful to have made it safely, and excited for what tomorrow brings.⏱️ Key Moments00:00 — Setting out for Bissau I begin the long 283km journey with multiple border crossings ahead.01:10 — Smooth start in The Gambia The roads are decent, traffic light, and the Garmin behaves (mostly).02:00 — Entering Senegal Police and gendarmerie stops start appearing, including a memorable request to inspect my medical kit.03:40 — The Guinea-Bissau road shock I encounter massive potholes, broken pavement, and water-filled craters—nothing like what I expected.05:00 — Tolls in the middle of chaos Despite the road conditions, I pay for two toll bridges—an odd contrast.06:00 — Navigating breakdowns and stuck trucks I weave around stalled vehicles and rutted side tracks to keep moving.07:20 — Arriving after dark My goal is always to avoid night driving, but we enter Bissau with an hour of darkness.08:10 — Finding the Hala Hotel After getting lost in murky streets, I finally locate the massive, quirky hotel.09:00 — Wi-Fi roulette and late-night dinner I explore the hotel’s unpredictable amenities and settle in for the night.10:00 — Reflections on travel and what’s next With Johan leaving soon, the mode of travel will change—but this adventure was worth every bump.

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