Senegal, surprises and a feast for the senses

Nothing comes anywhere close to the chaos of taxis in Dakar, but I have rarely met such friendly, eager people

I don't think I knew what to expect.

My youngest daughter had moved to Dakar, in Senegal, late last year, and was eager for my wife and I to fly out and spend Easter with her. My only experience of Africa was a couple of business trips to Nairobi 20 years ago, spent in splendid air-conditioned isolation either in an anonymous hotel room or a car going from one meeting to another.

Dakar is something else.

Leopold Sedar Senghor International Airport, named after the much-loved poet, philosopher and literary figure who was Senegal's first president after independence in 1960, gives you a taste of what is to come.

Teeming crowds, dust everywhere, and apparent chaos, plus a rather exotic approach to queuing.

"Which carousel will our luggage be at?"

"Je suis desolee, je ne sais pas (I am so sorry, I don't know)." This from the baggage handler, said with a large smile. You couldn't get angry.

Baggage finally retrieved, fingerprints taken on arrival by a gendarme, after an hour we found ourselves walking the gamut of people wanting to change money, carry our bags and offer us instant guided tours of Dakar - even though it was nearly midnight.

Then, at the end of the open-air walkway, Mai-Anh and her partner Jamie waited for us.

But I'll tell you one thing - I have been hassled and hustled at airports worldwide, but nowhere have those hassling and hustling been so polite. Seriously polite. And they take no for an answer. Imagine the formulaic politeness of the French language, imbued with a gentle African languor.

Now for the reality check. I've learned to judge the efficiency of a city or country by its taxis, whether it's the metered correctness in Singapore, the white-gloved unformed Tokyo cabbies, the hugely well-informed black cab drivers in London, or the feigned indifference of Paris taxi drivers.

Nothing comes anywhere close to taxis in Dakar.

Meters? Forget it. You negotiate the each price before you get in.

Change? Forget it. Just make sure you have lots of small notes.

Luxury? Er, no. Air-conditioning is the windows wide open.

The taxies are, like all public service vehicles in Dakar, a miracle of faith (inshallah) and an average of 25 years of abused French or Japanese automobile technology.

Plus, the most bizarre bodywork. It's as if someone had taken a hammer, beaten every square centimeter of bodywork, and then painted it yellow and black - with a handheld brush.

So, faced with that, we decided to hire a robust 4x4, which was one of the smartest things we did, considering the state of the roads, which, away from the main coastal road, are largely dirt tracks.

But despite all the dust and the decay, we had a ball.

I have rarely met such friendly, eager people, all keen to share their lives and love of Senegal.

Time after time, we were asked what we thought of the country, and the people. Time after time, we responded positively.

Of course, there are downsides. The sight of small boys begging for food and money is dreadful, the more so when you learn they are sent there by their parents.

Known as talibei, the Arabic word for pupil, there are some 50,000 of them. Their parents, some from neighboring countries, sent them to Dakar under the care of a marabout, or spiritual guide, whose job is to teach them the Koran and Arabic. All too often they are sent onto the streets to get food and money.

Some in Senegal say that the system, when applied properly, "strengthens you as a person"; I quote one of my daughter's neighbors, a charming man in his 30s, who himself was a talibei. He's now studying business administration.

But all too often it is abused, and the government is working with various NGOs and charities to address the situation.

Where, I hear you ask, is the link to China?

Well, I spotted a group of friends from Shanghai on their first visit, and by the wreckage on their table, much seafood and beer had been the order of the day. You could say they were enjoying themselves.

China itself re-established full diplomatic relations with Senegal in 2005, and there are now at least 26 official Chinese development projects underway, ranging from construction of a government e-network, upgrading of the country's power supply network, to a revival of the capital's bus transport network - and boy, do they need it.

Meanwhile, I'm gearing up for my debut visit to Beijing, which I suspect is much more high-tech than Dakar - and with smarter taxis and much better buses.

Watch this space.

The author is managing editor of China Daily European Edition, based in London.

Contact the writer at chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com