Day two and last day in Dakar

Our last morning in Dakar, the plan was to get up early and head to the bus station so we could get our names on a list to ensure we'd actually have a seat.  For those who don't get on the list, seating is not always an option and many end up sitting on little boxes in the aisle for the duration of the trip.  This is no easy fete we discovered so I was happy to have a seat.  I set my alarm for 5 a.m. and quickly dressed with the intention of waking Jesse and Matt up.  As I knocked on the door to their room, Jesse was already rubbing the sleep from his eyes and getting his bearings.  The guys got ready and next thing I know, Aida is coming from her room, dressed and ready to accompany us.  We walked out to the main road to find a taxi and after a couple unsuccessful negotiations, Aida found us a taxi that wasn't trying to rip us off.

  We drove through the dark morning, weaving through developed and undeveloped portions of roadways and future highway until we reached the bus station.  The bus station appeared to be a small mechanic shop/ gas station.  It was definitely no Greyhound terminal.  Already a line of 3 or 4 men formed and we took our places behind them.  There was no one to receive this line but the Africans knew that eventually, someone would arrive.  After a half hour or so, a man with a clipboard appeared and began taking names.  Jesse was 5th on the list, then Matt and then they put my name on the list.  For some reason, they decided not to use my real name and gave me a moniker. I was now 'Aida Sall'....apparently named after our hostess who was named after her mother, so this made me the 3rd generation Aida.  After that, our next stop was the fish market.

More coming on fish market madness.....