http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Mali , North-West en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:36:04 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:36:04 +0000 So I took a boat to Timbuktu.Not alot happenedWe got into the boat fought for our places almost won a very large section and then lost half of it but only because we decided being jerks to a nice Spanish couple wasnt the best way to start a 3 day boat trip. Good decision they ended up being really nice people.There were also 3 Catalonians and a hand full of French people AND lots of locals. L http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-427336.html Great After sixteen long hours we've finally made it to Timbuktu Where are we gonna sleepThat was the general sentiment that prevailed Friday at five o'clock in the morning. Our growing anxiety however was soon put to rest when we met up with a guy named Ali. Interestingly enough I had actually talked to him on the phone in Mopti . Funny thing was we never discussed what time or where in th http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-394956.html Man...and I thought the trip from Ouaga to Mopti was long... boy was I wrong Sixteen hours... that's how long it took to reach Timbuktu. Sixteen hours cramped into the back of a Tro Tro filled with eight people in the back four in the middle three in the front and one guy on top. Sixteen hours of minimal water and no food. Sixteen hours of hot hundred degree weather amplified exponentially by http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/blog-394593.html The next morning Souleman had arranged for a vehicle to pick us up and bring us to Mopti. Once again it was an incredibly hot and crammed van on a terrible bumpy road but we were getting pretty used to this by this point. While we were sitting there Berkley and Jess talked with some guy who knew a guy who knew a guy who owned a 4x4 that he takes out to Timbuktu. Normally this would seem like a s http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-394398.html For the last 8 months I have been on a sabbatical from travelling. During this time I have embarked on a number of random pursuits such as a career and the like. But all good things must come to an end. I can no longer avoid my responsibilities in life and I am responsible for getting my pasty white ass back to Africa.Last time I left you I was in Uganda after several months travelling up throu http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-363062.html We took the boat. It was great. Slept up on top deck out in the open. Took 4 nights from Korioume to Segou. Saw a lightning storm attack the river got beached on sandbanks played lots of centcinquanteetun malian card game in the bar drank the bar dry twice ate wonderful galley food watched dubious Portuguese soaps dubbed in French had showers in showers that inexplicably went on and of http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-360863.html The land cruiser taxi we got from Basskounou to Lere on the Malian side of the border was driven by a madman. He was in competition with another 4X4 driver for passengers and when we stopped to pick someone else we would be overtaken. Therafter he would try to catch up with the other taxi driving crazily off road hitting sandhills swerving to avoid trees and camels and all but losing his ow http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-360861.html Helloooo again Wow two entries in 2 days im on a rollJust wanted to let yall know that hayley and i sporadically had a change of plans. We met some americans german people our age that had just got back from Timbuktu and spoke about the trip so highly. We explained to them we were going to go but then decided not to because of expenses long travel time cause its in the northern part of ma http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-358182.html 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 guiltammountofalcoholboughtinadvance theiory or the spanish people nightwalks theory recently inspired by a dut http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-311667.html The Road to TimbuktuThe last dregs of Dogon countryrsquos vast escarpment two black sandstone towers mark the turnoff to Timbuctu once the worldrsquos most remote outpost now quite the glamorous prostitute for many a rich but poor foolish tourist who puts herself through motor vehicle misery just to say ldquoIrsquove been to Timbuctu and back again.rdquo We were ostensibly going fo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-235942.html Hey I'm travelling to Bamako just after new years . I'm trying to book an air senegal flight for the 5th of jan. I have really 4 days to get to Essekane for the festival au desert. Would love to go by land I know am running short of time but if anyone is keen to join a solo traveller for the way up let me knowSam http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-229188.html Hello from TimbuktuTo be quite honest Timbuktu was nothing more than a small dusty city filled with Mosques but hey we made itWhat we will most remember about Timbuktu is the unbearably loud chanting that started at about 4 am and continued on until about 6am from the various Mosques near to where we were camping. The chanting signals prayer time in the Muslim religion they pray 5 times da http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-221743.html Well what a time we had in Timbukto. It's a striking place the people there are deeply proud of their heritage and especially the Tuareg are incredibly elegant. Where Eric left off we had arrived in this historic tumbledown place after our splendid boatride. The town is dusty and crumbly and away from tourist hotspots the people are interested and interesting. Right behind our hotel the de http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-83957.html Well 3 days later we are finally here. At times it has been doubtful that we would even attempt the journey. Once we left Dogon Country and arrived in Mopti we on a bit of a whim found ourselves buying tickets to board a cargo boat on friday and travel north on the Niger River up to the fabled city.We arrived at the boat around 10 am to fight for a spot to sit. The boat a questionable vesse http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-83404.html Well we made it to Timbucktu and it only took 3 days by boat. Lying in the same position as our our slow moving heavily laden old pinasse chugged it's way up the River Niger to the sounds of radios blaring children crying and mosquitos buzzing.Timbucktu is a town which has been eaten alive by the desert. A guy we were talking to spoke mournfully of a time fifty years ago when the place was in th http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-77265.html Since I got busy with my startup company there have been few postings on my blog. So we start again.As you may know I am busy not only with my TIPLS company in partnership with Richard I am also working on getting ready for my trip to West Africa coming up on July 1st. While most travelers would be busy with purchasing and packing I ended up busy with something else. I took a series of 8 vacc http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/blog-67358.html