We've arrived in Mali. We crossed the border from Senegal yesterday.
It was the easiest border crossing so far - they didn't even want to
see any of us...usually they like to come on the truck and have a look
around.
So anyways - we've apparently decided to take the more scenic route to
get to Bamako. Which is really nice - but apparently it doesn't
include getting to stop at any of the scenic areas (like the big
waterfall we are passing for the second time right now!). And we
didn't get to stop for a swim in the beautiful lake we passed
yesterday - which since we are filthy and dusty it would have been
nice to have a swim and some fun. But we just drive by fun and then we
drive and drive some more...its way more fun to travel independently
and stop whenever you want. Why do I forget this everytime I think its
a good idea to do a group tour. Please everyone remind me never to do
this again!!
Anyways - we are driving through very different scenery now. I feel like I'm even more in Africa with savannah all around me and little villages of huts with excited children that run out when we drive by! We are trying to find the road to Bamako and got really lost yesterday. So we passed lots of cute little villages way off the beaten path (of course we can't get out and talk to anyone...) We were actually following a dirt donkey path yesterday I think. Luckily they must have realized we weren't getting anywhere and we stopped reasonably early yesterday and setup camp. It was an adventure driving though. We had the sides up and trees were coming in because we were properly in the woods on a small path. So there was a lot of ducking and shrieking at the end of the drive.
We set up camp in a lovely kind of area. It was very secluded and there were even some trees so I was able to set up my hammock. I put the mozzie net over it and set my tent up next door so I had a place for some privacy. I'm not feeling that great now and just wanted some alone time last night. But apparently - I get to be one of the lucky people that everyone likes...so both sides of the group (the "back of the bus" and "front of the bus") as they've been described both seem to think I want to talk to them all the time. So somehow it was decided that we would have a tent party at my tent!! Wtf?! I just wanted some me time and people just showed up and wanted to bitch about everyone else. Blah!! So I had to sit by the fire because at least if I sat in the back no one would talk to me...so I attempted to brush my hair (its been a few days so its a bit of a big tangled mess). Then we had a nice dinner of some veg and noodles and I went and sat in my hammock with my book. It was lovely. The trees were a bit close to where the fire was so I could still hear everyone but they were the only decent trees and were just barely close enough for me to setup the hammock so I considered myself lucky! Especially rigging the mozzie net because that was a bit of a mission. And then getting in the hammock mozzie net combo with my sleeping bag and extra blanket (its still rather chilly at night)! Once I got in there was no getting out. But luckily no one came to bother me so I read a bit and then looked at the stars and fell asleep under the stars! It was really nice - I love my hammock!! But it was a bit chilly. So when I woke up at 5:00 and had to go to the bathroom I climbed into my tent and was a bit warmer without the wind. Overall a good night!
Today is new years eve. We've just spent an hour driving back to where we think we went wrong yesterday. The plan is to stop earlyish today so we can celebrate New Years. I wonder if we have anything nice to eat...hmmmm...my main hope is for a lake or something. I don't remember being this dirty before. Its so dusty here that everything is brown...I clean my hands and scrub under my fingernails and then as soon as I touch something I'm gross again. Plus - I might need to really brush my hair before I have to cut the tangles out!! And I wouldn't mind if the people cooking my meals were a bit cleaner...especially since lots of them don't seem to worry about washing their hands too often....we have another bout of stomach troubles going around now...yay!!
It was the easiest border crossing so far - they didn't even want to
see any of us...usually they like to come on the truck and have a look
around.
So anyways - we've apparently decided to take the more scenic route to
get to Bamako. Which is really nice - but apparently it doesn't
include getting to stop at any of the scenic areas (like the big
waterfall we are passing for the second time right now!). And we
didn't get to stop for a swim in the beautiful lake we passed
yesterday - which since we are filthy and dusty it would have been
nice to have a swim and some fun. But we just drive by fun and then we
drive and drive some more...its way more fun to travel independently
and stop whenever you want. Why do I forget this everytime I think its
a good idea to do a group tour. Please everyone remind me never to do
this again!!
Anyways - we are driving through very different scenery now. I feel like I'm even more in Africa with savannah all around me and little villages of huts with excited children that run out when we drive by! We are trying to find the road to Bamako and got really lost yesterday. So we passed lots of cute little villages way off the beaten path (of course we can't get out and talk to anyone...) We were actually following a dirt donkey path yesterday I think. Luckily they must have realized we weren't getting anywhere and we stopped reasonably early yesterday and setup camp. It was an adventure driving though. We had the sides up and trees were coming in because we were properly in the woods on a small path. So there was a lot of ducking and shrieking at the end of the drive.
We set up camp in a lovely kind of area. It was very secluded and there were even some trees so I was able to set up my hammock. I put the mozzie net over it and set my tent up next door so I had a place for some privacy. I'm not feeling that great now and just wanted some alone time last night. But apparently - I get to be one of the lucky people that everyone likes...so both sides of the group (the "back of the bus" and "front of the bus") as they've been described both seem to think I want to talk to them all the time. So somehow it was decided that we would have a tent party at my tent!! Wtf?! I just wanted some me time and people just showed up and wanted to bitch about everyone else. Blah!! So I had to sit by the fire because at least if I sat in the back no one would talk to me...so I attempted to brush my hair (its been a few days so its a bit of a big tangled mess). Then we had a nice dinner of some veg and noodles and I went and sat in my hammock with my book. It was lovely. The trees were a bit close to where the fire was so I could still hear everyone but they were the only decent trees and were just barely close enough for me to setup the hammock so I considered myself lucky! Especially rigging the mozzie net because that was a bit of a mission. And then getting in the hammock mozzie net combo with my sleeping bag and extra blanket (its still rather chilly at night)! Once I got in there was no getting out. But luckily no one came to bother me so I read a bit and then looked at the stars and fell asleep under the stars! It was really nice - I love my hammock!! But it was a bit chilly. So when I woke up at 5:00 and had to go to the bathroom I climbed into my tent and was a bit warmer without the wind. Overall a good night!
Today is new years eve. We've just spent an hour driving back to where we think we went wrong yesterday. The plan is to stop earlyish today so we can celebrate New Years. I wonder if we have anything nice to eat...hmmmm...my main hope is for a lake or something. I don't remember being this dirty before. Its so dusty here that everything is brown...I clean my hands and scrub under my fingernails and then as soon as I touch something I'm gross again. Plus - I might need to really brush my hair before I have to cut the tangles out!! And I wouldn't mind if the people cooking my meals were a bit cleaner...especially since lots of them don't seem to worry about washing their hands too often....we have another bout of stomach troubles going around now...yay!!
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