NIce to have a day of rest - it feels like it's been go, go, go since leaving Melbourne & get my head around the amazing things I've been doing in such a short time here in Mali. Trying to get the stupid ASUS web storage happening, and beginning to realise it's not me that may be at fault when I find others online complaining about the service etc... Think I may have bought a real turkey!
30 December 2010
Quick trip to Mopti, but another world away from anything I've seen yet. Mopti is one of West Africa's largest river ports, and as such the port area was amazing. Actually just seeing the river was great, after being inland for this long now. And there are the the famous salt slabs that come all the way across the Sahara with the Tuaregs, to TImbuctou, then shipped down to Mopti.
Meet Timorese who lets me in on the wifi, talk to Italian girl Simona about joining her on a pinasse to Timbuctu, get boat trip quotes. This place even has a pool! Meet up with Dominque again in the Dorm she is leaving tomorrow on the Public boat to Timbuctou for 50,000 cfa. I want to leave for Timbuctou 1st Jan, so that means talking to all sorts of blokes who promise the world but alas cannot deliver!
Friday 31 December
I wanted to leave for Timbuctou on the 1st Jan, but no boats going that day so settle for the original offer from Simona to leave on the 2nd January. Meet another aussie, KristyLee in the dorm, who is also going to the festival.
Great Mosque here that has been expertly restored & a walk about town coming face to face with the boys who beg for their madrassas (Koranic schools). They appear in front of you reciting the Koran in a sing song voice, motioning to their tins or bowls for donations.
Good dinner, debate French colonialism with a french bloke who cannot understand why the Malians are not proud to speak french.
Then I meet Dave & Denise who are planning to reaffirm their vows with a Tuareg wedding at the Festival, and again in a stone church in Ethiopia! WOW How very romantic.
30 December 2010
Quick trip to Mopti, but another world away from anything I've seen yet. Mopti is one of West Africa's largest river ports, and as such the port area was amazing. Actually just seeing the river was great, after being inland for this long now. And there are the the famous salt slabs that come all the way across the Sahara with the Tuaregs, to TImbuctou, then shipped down to Mopti.
Meet Timorese who lets me in on the wifi, talk to Italian girl Simona about joining her on a pinasse to Timbuctu, get boat trip quotes. This place even has a pool! Meet up with Dominque again in the Dorm she is leaving tomorrow on the Public boat to Timbuctou for 50,000 cfa. I want to leave for Timbuctou 1st Jan, so that means talking to all sorts of blokes who promise the world but alas cannot deliver!
Friday 31 December
I wanted to leave for Timbuctou on the 1st Jan, but no boats going that day so settle for the original offer from Simona to leave on the 2nd January. Meet another aussie, KristyLee in the dorm, who is also going to the festival.
Great Mosque here that has been expertly restored & a walk about town coming face to face with the boys who beg for their madrassas (Koranic schools). They appear in front of you reciting the Koran in a sing song voice, motioning to their tins or bowls for donations.
Good dinner, debate French colonialism with a french bloke who cannot understand why the Malians are not proud to speak french.
Then I meet Dave & Denise who are planning to reaffirm their vows with a Tuareg wedding at the Festival, and again in a stone church in Ethiopia! WOW How very romantic.
Saturday 1 Jan
Skype Tez, relax & enjoy an easy day in anticipation of 3 days on board a boat. Buy some fruit & hear about the new toilet being built on our boat just for us....
Skype Tez, relax & enjoy an easy day in anticipation of 3 days on board a boat. Buy some fruit & hear about the new toilet being built on our boat just for us....
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