hombori, last chance

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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 the annoy the tourists so much. but well, there was a night bus going to hombori, and I always had a love for night buses, and it wasd fairly cheap, and I had heard I could go from there to burkina in a truck on market day for a really low price in a really gun trip. so I got in the bus and gave mali a last chance. Im glad I did.

dont get me wrong, I still think that mali is a shitty place to be a tourist, specially if you re travelling alone. it is prepared to travel by group (not many hostels and such things, expensive tours with guides). they have formed so many guides, most of which suck btw, that they literally will beat each other (or you) for a tour. best advice is: make friends as soon as you get there. my next time in mali (if there is a next time) will be much better, as now I know people that will host me for near to nothing and will avoid others to bother me.

that being said, a few places were wonderful: tumbuctou is one, segou too, and definetly hombori. not many people go there, but if yure in mali you should, and you should go to "chez LeLeLe". its a very familiar place with a dad called LeLeLe (as youd probably have guessed, its his alias) that will do everything possible to make your stay delightful. if youre ona tight budget hell give you free food sometimes; he will find the cheapest tours or find the cheapest bicycles, etc. he even arranged my trip to burkina; something that I wouldve never got to do by myself as the information is quite consuifng in africa. also, he got me a great price for the ride, and they took great care of me till I was on the transport going to ouaga.

Lelele was half of the fun; the other half was a asum of amazing landscapes; the hand of fatma (to where I tried to bike, but the bike being crap and being tired; I just went to sleep under a tree); and his wonderful family full of cute children (as any god african family) and an older brother, vieu, a raster who was waaaay cool. and thats it.

go to hombori.

go to chez lelele.

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Photos

the hand of fatma
this is as close as I got I think, good enough for me!

rafael, front view
hombori tondo in the background

rafael, side view
hombori tondo in the background