A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - PhotoStories

October 2012: Please visit our new blog about our forthcoming expedition - ‘River Gambia Expedition 2012 - 1000km source to sea African odyssey’ - over on Wordpress.

Thank you so much for following us on our last journey - ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’which produced award-winning portraits from Jason Florio, of village chiefs and elders of The Gambia, West Africa.

We hope that you’ll jump on board and follow this next one - over on Wordpress. We’ll post the occasional update on here, but if you want to follow our adventure, then please sign up (all that’s needed is an email address and verification) for updates on the River Gambia Expedition.

‘The River Gambia Expedition – 1000km source-sea African odyssey’

The Journey – 1 river. 2 borders. 3 countries – Guinea-Senegal-The Gambia, West Africa

Paddles in the water: mid October 2012

When: October – December 2012

Why: To create an historical – visual /audio/written -  document of the peoples, cultures and environment along one of Africa’s last, free flowing, major rivers – The River Gambia.

Estimated journey time: 2-3 months

Modes of transport: Canoes & Trekking

River Gambia Expedition 2012:

Experienced West Africa travelers, husband and wife team - multi award-winning photographer, Jason Florio, and, photography producer, Helen Jones-Florio – will attempt to create a modern-day account of the people, societies, and life along the length of one of Africa’s last, free-flowing, major rivers – the River Gambia. There has also been talk, for a number of years, of damming the river. This journey is about documenting the communities and environment before this happens.

They will be promoting canoeing and trekking, as a means of travel – thereby maintaining a low carbon footprint/environmental impact. Travelling through the through the homelands of over seven different tribes, their journey will begin at the source of the river, where it trickles out of the Fouta Djallon highlands of Guinea, on into hippo-abundant Niokolo Koba National Park, Senegal, and finally into The Republic of the Gambia – following the same course as the early gold and slave traders had done century’s ago – to the 10km wide mouth of the river, where it opens into the Atlantic Ocean after over a 1000km journey.

Meet the River Gambia expedition team: Expedition team leaders, Jason, Helen, and rest of their team, will collect - through multiple medias: visual/written/audio -  stories documenting the lives and cultures of the indigenous people, who live and work along the course of the River Gambia. Using traditional protocol, relevant to each country, they will approach village chiefs to ask permission to stay in his/her village.

They will travel with  Abou Ndong & Ebou Jarjau, two local Gambian experienced river men will be on the team for the entire journey; along with hiring local guides in Guinea and Senegal – thus making it a diverse and international team.

We look forward to seeing you on other side!

Thank you

The Florios

Check out how you can own one of award-winning photographer, Jason Florio’s, fine art photography prints from the River Gambia Expedition 2012 http://rivergambiaexpedition2012.wordpress.com/2012/08/07/two-ways-to-own-one-of-award-winning-photographer-jason-florios-fine-art-photography-prints/

We also have a Facebook page & Twitter

‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’ 2009 - West Africa

Image © Jason Florio - the expedition team at dawn, leaving Kalaji village, The Gambia, West Africa

October 2012 Update: forthcoming expedition: ‘River Gambia Expedition - 1000km source to sea African odyssey’

‘Your Experience’ Magazine - Matt Smith and the guys over at Gambia Experience/Serenity Holidays - have used one of my photo’s, from our 930km walk, in their May 2012 edition of the magazine.

Image © Helen Jones-Florio 2009

Kunta Kinteh Island (formally, James Island), The Gambia, West Africa

http://930kmafricanodyssey.tumblr.com/post/2313060104/image-by-florio-2009-james-island-a-former

Random road shots: The Alkalo (village chief), Dam Sallah, and the village elders come to meet the team - Kerr Sat Maram, The Gambia, West Africa

Image © Jason Florio

A Short Walk in the Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey

I’m in the middle of writing the book (long overdue!) based on A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - our 930km African odyssey - and I’m almost at the end of our journey. The last day was a particularly tough one - the cart wheel coming off three times was only part of a nightmare of an extremely long and frustrating day.

Here is Adama, the mechanic from Makasutu Culture Forest, doing his best to secure the wheelback onto to the cart again so that we can make the remaining few miles home. Janneh, Samba, Momadou and myself (Flo is taking the photo - heavy work, holding that camera, eh, Flo) transfer our gear, from the cart to the truck, to lighten the load, in an effort to move faster on the last leg of the walk…wishful thinking.

More on the book soon…

Image © Jason Florio - Serrekunda, The Gambia

Random road shots: Almost the end of the journey - Helen Jones-Florio on The Barra-Banjul Ferry - across the River Gambia

Image © Jason Florio - A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey

Random roadshots: Jason Florio - Sunset & Baobab Trees, James Island, Juffereh, The Gambia, West Africa

Image © Helen Jones-Florio 2009

Random Road Shots:

Gambian boy with feather in his hair

Taken whilst on ‘A Short Walk in The Gambian Bush - a 930km African odyssey’ - 2009 - The Gambia, West Africa

Image © Jason Florio

‘Silafando’ - Award-winning portraits of village chiefs, ‘Alkalos’, and elders by Jason Florio

Taken whilst on a 930km walk around the small West African country of The Gambia - 2009