Travel Blog » Africa » Mali

Mali Travel Blogs

Background: The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997, President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Mali

Map of Mali

Mali's Flag

Hostels in Mali
Latest Mali Blog Entries
Mali Photos

By Carravanquelo
October 9th 2008

Getting somewhere with my research Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » Bamako

Northside of Bamako

In the days since my last post, I am glad to report that things have progressed quite rapidly (as far as my research and connections go). Instead of jumping straight to that, though, I’ll try to describe the past week’s events in somewhat of a chronological order. On Thursday, we discovered the disappointing news that we would not be able to travel to Casablanca in December. Although we do have plane tickets going there on December 10, the returning tickets, which we don't have, would cost us each about $650, and we just could not justify spending that much. It didn't [View Full Entry]

By Carravanquelo
October 2nd 2008

The people we meet... Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » Bamako

It’s hard to believe, but we’ve been in our house for nearly two weeks now. Now that we have a toilet seat (key!) we are in pretty good shape. Nora just started at Save the Children yesterday, so I’m adjusting to being on my own during the day. Unfortunately, some of the few friends that we made here are not too reliable about coming over to visit in spite of their persistent texting, so my plot to pester them with questions about wording my Bamana questionnaires has yet to bear fruit. Consequently, I’ve been dragging a chair outside of our gate [View Full Entry]

By Kurogawa
October 1st 2008

Bamako and magical Mali. Africa » Mali » District of Bamako » Bamako

The mosque at Djenne, southern Mali

Mali, the land of Gold and now the land of music. The time I spent in Mali was very short about two weeks, but I saw a lot and managed to relax very well in a few places. I spent a nice 5 days in Bamako, the capital, a very messy but lively busness, went to a cool night club, very local, lets say. Another highlight was cruising up the Niger River for 3 days on our way back from Timbucktoo!!! a great place to have managed to get to, and YES it was still hard to get to and an [View Full Entry]

Crossing over to Djenne; one of inhabited towns in West Africa.

By Carravanquelo
September 25th 2008

Settling in... Africa » Mali » District of Bamako

When I had left off before, we were in the process of arranging for and moving into our new house. We settled that up the following day (Sunday), but, wow, what a chaotic day! Things started off at a brisk pace with an early breakfast and a visit by Georges, who wanted to see the house we were to rent. Whilst checking it out, I suffered immediate stomach distress. Fortunately we were not much over a half-mile from the hotel, but lurching slowly over the deeply rutted dirt roads nearly ruined me. I made it to the hotel and Nora took [View Full Entry]

By Carravanquelo
September 21st 2008

Trying to get settled in Bamako Africa » Mali

Nora, Washing My Shirt

We’ve been in Bamako for two days, but it has seemed much longer for all of the activity. That’s even taking into account the fact that we slept for half of the first day. Anyway, because our flight from Casablanca was three hours late to leave, we got to Bamako right around 6:30 am. We were greeted by a weary albeit vigilant man, who collected all of our things and filled out our passport information for us. After directing us through quite the confusion at the baggage claim, he led us outside along the side of the main building to a [View Full Entry]

By pablostrip
August 22nd 2008

Boni Dgibo Africa » Mali

boni

" major tom to ground control, is there anybody even reading this mess of a blog? well Ill just keep uploading pictures till I melt trying. Im writting in my notebook and Ill publish when I get the chance; no internet over here in the middle of god knows where, some point in the map south of the road from mopti to gao called boni. I was suppoused to be getting a truck for 6000 from mopti to dgibo. but because of the rain therere no trucks, only four by four going from boni to dgibo. so I got a bus [View Full Entry]

By LukeIRL
August 22nd 2008

From Kenieba to Tambacaounda Africa » Mali » West

The Mali-Senegal Border

The journey from Bamako to Kayes by train and then from Kayes to Kenieba by overlanden truck had been fun but tiring, seen as it was rainy season, so we rested up in Kenieba for a while. Beautiful town situated where a glen comes out between two falaises. None of the hassle present in other Malian towns. We then organised some motorbikes to take us across the river and into Senegal to Tembacaounda. The problem was it was rainy season and the normal route was flooded. So we had to follow some interesting shortcuts to get to the river and then [View Full Entry]

By pablostrip
August 20th 2008

hombori, last chance Africa » Mali » North-East

the hand of fatma

so I havent written much about it, but in mali I got quite a few times in trouble. not BIG trouble, but getting there... in bamako as well as in mopti it got to a point where at least five people wanted to beat the shit out of me, and thats not good cause I dont think I could beat the shit out of an ant without help. so when I got back of relax that was dogon country, I decided that it was a good ending for mali and thought: fuck mali, Im never coming back to this country where [View Full Entry]

By pablostrip
August 17th 2008

dogon raster days Africa » Mali » Dogon Country

sour la fallise

first of all, and i hope not to deceive anyone here, im still alive and fairly healthy. that being said, where were we... oh yes, dogon country. I spent four wonderful days in that wonderful land out of time with yakou, a real raster and possibly the best guide you can find in mali for the dogon land, and now someone I count among my friends. and the four days where wonderful. we walked a lot, we swam in some waterfalls along the way, we went through beautiful landscapes and some of the most beautiful towns ive seen. one day we [View Full Entry]

By pablostrip
August 12th 2008

timbuktu Africa » Mali » North-West » Timbuktu

sankore

I have a theory, well I have many theories, I am a man of many theories. you probably have heard some of them like the "I dont understand jeans" theory, or the "I dont get city views" theory, or the "peace corps are spies" theory, or the "theres no reason for flies" theory, or the "guilt/ammountofalcoholboughtinadvance" theiory, or the "spanish people nightwalks theory" recently inspired by a dutch guy I met in bamako. well, I have a theory about the popular view of tomboctou among travellees as a city not worth going to. too far the way for no reward, etc. [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Africa » Mali

Mali Travel Blogs, page 6

Mali Travel Blogs

Mali