Senegal & The Gambia practical tips — sort these before you go

Just back from this trip. Pulling out the practical stuff because it's easier to find in its own post. Getting around: Download Yango before you leave home. It's the rideshare app in Senegal and it's cash only. Setting it up on the ground is a pain you don't need. Money: Bring more cash than you think you'll need. Cards are accepted at some hotels and restaurants but expect minimum spend limits, extra charges and machines that aren't working. ATMs exist but they're not always easy to find when you need one. Phone and data: eSIMs worked well, better coverage than I expected across both countries. Download offline maps before you go. Google Translate downloaded offline too, Senegal is strongly Francophone and you'll use it constantly. The Gambia is mostly English speaking so easier. Food: Heavy on seafood and meat everywhere. Vegetarians had a difficult trip. Coeliacs would find it very hard. Otherwise food is cheap and generally good. Swimming: Don't count on it until the last day in Saly. There's significant plastic pollution along most of the coast. Hotels with pools were mostly fine. Physical: Lots of walking in sand without proper footpaths. Some long days on rough roads. Comfortable shoes that handle sand are more useful than trail runners. Australians: I wrote a separate post about the visa situation. Read it before you do anything else.