The Week Part Three: Sports Day

As International Workers Day Wednesday was celebrated as a public holiday. This obviously justified my early morning dancing antics and allowed for a lie in. However, it was also a day with a sports day in Banjul which the Ministry of Youth and Sports would be attending. So, as I was eating a late breakfast, my colleague Landing, the Director of the National Enterprise Development Initiative (NEDI), dropped in to make sure we were going.

True to my new policy of doing things and taking up opportunities, Agnes, Julie and I headed out to Banjul. We found NEDI under the sun and joined them. They were very hospitable, providing food and drinks as we watched the build up to the athletics.

The teams started with a procession into the stadium led by a band. It was great to hear brass instruments again and I had to suppress the urge to ask to have a go on one of the trombones. I settled for cheering the teams past as they lined up for the national anthem.

After that the sports began; running and tug of wars starting the proceedings. It was fun to watch the friendly rivalry and celebrations as the police force team vied against the armed forces, Gambia Technical Training Institute against Child Fund. They played into the evening but I left as the sun started to set to meet the VSOs at Aso Rock, to wave Natalie off on her holiday trip to the UK.