http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/North-West/Timbuktu/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Mali , North West , Timbuktu en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:00:00 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:00:00 UTC 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 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