A Dream come True ❤️

Progress to realise a dream

The dream to create Camara Gardens began in 2006 and now we are so excited to say that the dream has become reality! We had many setbacks along the journey ….

Back in 2004 I came to work in Gambia as the Thomson (Tui) manager, I was fortunate to meet a nice guy, Bax Camara, such and amazing man with a huge heart, his wife had recently passed away leaving him with 2 young children.  Once my work in Gambia ended I returned often enjoying time with Bax the kids and the family forming a close bond, and yes I’d fallen in love!

At the end of 2006 we bought a plot of land in Brufut which was just like any other, no water, no walls and lots of weeds! We had lots of vision and started to create our dream business so that we could be together in Gambia as Neither of us wanted to be in the UK

Soon the grass was cleared, and a borehole installed so we could supply our own water rather than using the donkey cart to deliver it! 

Bax was working on the project whilst working his Gelee Gellee (Local transport van) business which was doing well but this meant the building work was slow.  Over the next few years I came backwards and forwards for a few weeks or months at a time staying in one of the apartments whilst we installed, electric, tiles and windows etc.  At times we laughed and cried with the very slow progress, it wasn’t ideal to live in a house with rough cement floor, cold water, unfinished walls, wires everywhere and no kitchen, but hey the dream and the love was there!!!

We had an amazing fairy tale Gambian wedding in 2010 with hundreds of people from Gambia and around the world joining us to celebrate the love between us. Our house was the venue for this joyous occasion.  By this time, we had the main construction done but we still had a long way to go!

In early 2011 Bax joined me in the UK so we could make more money for us to return to complete the project.

In 2013 we had a major setback in that my husband took ill, he wanted to return to the Gambia.   Despite the advice from medics I fought tooth and nail to get my beloved Bax back to his homeland and family where he survived 4 days before passing peacefully. 

So, the dream was pushed aside for a few years until 2018 when I decided to continue with the project.  I filled a container before leaving the UK in July 2018 for my new life!  During the rainy season we dug the pool in the pouring rain, painted, installed the plumbing, electrics, tiles, landscaped and built a house for the Camara Family too!  All this was done between July and Dec 2018, no mean feat!  All my Gambian and UK family, friends and neighbours supported me in the steps towards completion 

So, after many years, setbacks, headaches, lots of fun, laughter and a lot of love for each other we finally completed the works to create the beautiful Camara Gardens and opened our doors and hearts to our guests in 2019.

A Dream come true …………..One love one heart ❤️