This travelogue is about a journey through Mali, which I made together with friends from November 17th until December 15th.
DUS - CDG - BMK - Bamako - Ségou - San - Djenné with Senossa - Mopti - Lac Débo - Niafounké - Timbuktu - Gourma-Rharous - Gossi - Hombori - Douenza - Banani - Bankass - Ende - Banani - Sangha - Bandiagara - Mopti - Bamako – BMK – CDG – DUS
Why publish this travelogue after all these years? I digitalized my handwritten travel diary and thought some aspects are also interesting to the public. Moreover this kind of travel nowadays would risk your live [1], so maybe this travelogue is already giving a historic account.
Day 14, Friday, November 30, 2007 With the ferry across the Niger
Departure with Yaya. Ferry across the Niger, then a piste ride along the river towards Gourma-Rharous. Rainy night in half a tent.
The equipment looks professional, and the sleeping bag for me was also arranged; I stupidly thought mine would be too warm for Africa, which was true, but even then I could have bought a cheap one, which isn't meant for camping beneath a glacier.
First stop is the port of Korioumé, which is where we arrived. We travel now from the thorn steppe to rice growing area. In addition, reforestation with eucalyptus – possibly with funds from the Aga Khan Foundation – could be seen. Not a good idea in my opinion.
We were waiting for more vehicles for the ferry, while Charles and I talk about aeternitas – time of God, aevum – time of angels and tempus – time of people. Overall, time as relativity, but in relation to the existence of beings. And time in Africa is different than time in Europe.
Children pressing their noses and bananas against the window panes and smearing everything.
Then a vehicle from an NGO arrived and we were about to cross the Niger, which took longer than I expected as we went further downstream due to sandbanks and tributaries. Then thorn bushes in a flooded landscape. Further on the corrugated iron slope.
We had a picnic and saw two men meeting a third one with a young goat, which he then sold to them for 9,000 francs.
We drove on, saw dromedaries and villages. Finally we got closer to the Niger again and found a place to camp. However, the outer tent of my friends was no longer in the bag (forgotten?). You probably thought it wouldn't matter anyway because it hardly rains here. Hardly is not not at all and after all it was raining in this rain deficient area this night.
Links and Annotations:
[1] The U.S. Department of State / Bureau of Consular Affairs for instance writes: "Violent crime, such as kidnapping and armed robbery, is common in Mali." And more risks are mentioned. Moreover it advises: "Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney." https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/mali-travel-advisory.html
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