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Published: July 26th 2009Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » BamakoJuly 26th 2009


Dabola
city on the way to Bamako but still in Guinea
Hello from Bamako
Wow was it ever pleasent and hellish to get here.
No good direct transport through Guinea so I had to hop bush taxis.
First one was really easy: Conakry to Mamou.
Only real stories from this are the asshole cops who want bribes threaten me with arrest for holding someone elses passport (they said i didnt look like my picture); and there were lots of police check points too.
The same day I cought another taxi from Mamou to some village in the middle of nowhere.
There I had to compete with the attention of a polite and interesting man who wanted to talk to me and show me around and a woman who was intent on getting money from me anyway possible (probably had some mental problems); this is also where the bribes stopped. Again I took another taxi to Dabola where I got an excellent deal on a hotel room with hot water, a tv, and air conditioning (I am really starting to hate mosquito nets).
The next day I chilled out drinking coffee waiting for my taxi to fill up with other people. I arrived at 8am we left at 12:30; the
car broke down multiple times during the tremendous rain downpours and I got to help change some tires.
We were restriced to 40 km/h for the last 200kM. In the car Everyone wanted to know about Canada and not having to pay off cops.
Got to KanKan and found a car only needing one more person to depart for Segrou. The car broke down 20 minutes into the trip and took 4hours to repair. I slept in the back seat.
From Segrou to the border I slept in a different taxi.
Had to deal with the guinea police for the last time at the border where they wanted a big present for the exit stamp. I just walked to the Mali side and got an entrance stamp. So no exit stamp.
Got into Bamako really tired and dirty.
The scenery was beautiful but I wont mind staying out of a car packed with people for at least a few more days. Some time here to figure out my visa card problem and get my Burkina Faso VISA before I head to Djenne, Mopti, Dogon Country and finally Timbuktu.
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