Mali was beautiful, I loved it,
although after all the travel sagas I had I just hired a guide to take
me around instead of my usual 'do everything myself'. it probably cost
twice as much as if I did, but I was just so pissed off and tired and
didn't want to have to think about organising anything!
I
travelled from Bamako to the port town of Mopti and the island city of
Djenne, which has the biggest mud mosque in the world. The mosque is
really beautiful, an amazing structure that has to be re-rendered after each rainy season. Bamako is just a massive market, pretty
crazy but still great. I really liked Mopti as well, the port is really
busy and interesting. Spent a fez hours on canoes on the Niger River;
the lifeblood of Mali. Then I did 5 days of trekking in Dogon country,
which was amazing. Villages built into the cliff face, which runs for
about 100kms. I made it as far as Nombori, not to Tomboctou though. The
only bad thing was that my guide was totally in love with me and I had
to fend him off the whole time!! arrrghh! Made life interesting... I
apparently could have got a wedding ceremony in Djenne mosque by paying
the Imam...not sure if it was really true but I almost said yes just to
find out.
And I tried almst every variation of
cooking there is using millet wheat which, along with onions in Dogon
country, they grow everywhere; bread, pancakes, millet milk ... the list
goes on ;)
...and then I thought the travel sagas
couldn't get worse.....i got to paris airport about 24 hours earlier
than I expected because my flight left at 1am from Bamako, so I tried to
get on a flight to london a day earlier....they said yes because of
delays to flights due to fog, but it meant I had to wait around in the
airport...from 9:30 til 6pm, waiting waiting....no news, the British
Airways staff deserted the desk so no-one knew what was going
on...finally when they told us the flight would board at 6 I thought I
would try and get my replacement ticket from the air france desk, but it
meant I had to go outside the departure lounge, which meant that the
announcements of boarding times didnt get broadcast so I didn't hear
it....and then I got through all the paperwork to get the ticket and
when I went to pay my card had no cash left.... ahh f*$%! so all that
time spent at the desk; and then I couldn't get the ticket, and almost
missed my flight to London! I was the last person to board.... but I
luckily made it. Shit. it was so stressful! I fully bawled my eyes out
on the plane. I am still recovering! but it is nice being with my family
again for Xmas, it had been a long time since I saw them. Mum, Dad and
Dan are embarking on some travels of their own around Britain and
Europe. We are going out for my brother's 21st on Xmas Eve in town tomorrow
night and also catching up with some good mates which will be great.
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