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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Feb 27, 2005 07:00 PM NIAMEY - the capital of Niger
Heat - more then 40 deg in the shade during the day. Cold coca-cola /225 CFA/ is like a dream. You can drink and drink... I am resting, cleaning and preparing for the next stage of my Transafricana.
The capital of the one of the poorest countries has very nice center - with fancy hotel and new government buildings.
Strong army presence - do not try to photograph the only bridge on the river. Catholic Mission near the cathedral is the best and safe escape for backpackers - they charge only 8000 CFA for twin room with shower and fan.
Tomorrow I plan to take a bus to distant Agadez /16000 CFA - air-con - what a luxury in the desert!/ - new adventures ahead!
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Feb 25, 2005 07:00 PM 32 hours on the truck...
Gao - Mali. They wanted us to buy the ticket to Niamey in advance: 12500 CFA /9000 for local people/. Depart: 2 pm. We started from Gao at 4 pm: on the old Renault lorry there were packs of corn, smuggled goods and 60 squeezed passengers. This is all- gravel and sand route. Desert, sun and dust... Many unexpected stops /for praying/, shortage of water, border check-points in the middle of nowhere.... Yes - they /Malians/ charge 1000 CFA just for the stamp in your passport but do not register that you cross the border... Be prepared for the worst....
It was one of my hardest experiences in Africa...
But at the end I reached Niamey - the capital of Niger.
Here I am - and again I have /slow!/ access to the internet!
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Feb 23, 2005 07:00 PM Harmattan in Gao - the last frontier....
6 am bus to Gao, 6 hours of rather bumpy driving due to the huge holes in asphalt. Many police check-points... Then ferry on the Niger river.... We are in Gao. The harmattan dusty, sandy wind from the desert is blowing... Horrible time... Gao - once important trade point with caravans passing by has XVI-century tomb of Askia to visit /2000 CFA entry but the best and freeview is from the roof of nearby house/
It is worth to stay in Gao in run-down colonial hotel Atlantide - do not forget to bargain - we paid 10000 CFA per room with fan and shower. Take a pirogue trip along the coast of Niger - unforgetable experience /8000 CFA per hour/
I am looking for the transport from Gao to NIGER - the one/per week bus goes on Monday and is seems that the lorry will be the only solution...
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Feb 22, 2005 07:00 PM The hand of Fatima - Mali
Few tourist know that in the Eastern Mali there are beautiful rock formations located around Hombori.
You can see them on the approach to the village from the west... 15 km before the village you will be impressed by the Hand of Fatima - the real, stone hand rising more then 1000 m above sea level...
There are two inexpensive campements in the village but do noe expect luxury. In Auberge Tondanko we paid 3000 CFA per bed. They say: - No mosquitoes in February, but there are so bring your net or repellent with you!
Shortage of the bread: there is a sort of open-air bakery - ask people for the way and wait until your bread will be ready /150 CFA per baguette/
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Feb 20, 2005 07:00 PM In the Dogon Country
Did you hear about the Dogon people? They live along the almost 200-km long Bandiagara Escarpment - it is in Mali.
They have very interesting culture, art and nowadays quite a lot of tourist is visiting area - one of the hits of Western Africa...
I visited the southern part of Dogon Country in 2000 /see pictures on my website/ . Now I wanted to see the north - less tourist, less known. They charge 40000 CFA per day plus fuel for rental of open 4WD truck. We deperted from Douentza early in the morning during the sandstorm.
Later in the afternoon wind stoped and we enjoyed the beautiful views of the Falaise /reminds me Monument Valley/
visiting stone- and mud- built villages. The nicest were: Damassongo and Ireli. The higlight was 4-hours mointain trek through separated ridge of Youga - with the views of Tolems houses located under the cliff.
We spend the night at mud house in Koundu Gouma - no light, no running water but what a stars above you!
Wath out for petrol - stealing people in Banani!
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Feb 19, 2005 07:00 PM Douentza - Gateway to Dogon Country
/posted from Niamey/
It was late evening when we disembarked dusty bus in the little village of Douentza. The owner of Auberge Phare Vert was waiting at the bus stop. -Yes, I have the shover for you! It is simple shower what you are dereaming about after 13 hours in african bus!!!
The bed with the mosquito net costs 2500 CFA and they will prepare for free the big pot of boiled water so you can make your tea or coffee...
Today - on Sunday I wander around weekly market... Yes, this is the best day to visit Douentza - smells, colours, noise - animals and a crowd of people - many of them arrived from distant villages. they speak only local languages, not French but smile helps a lot. The balls of home-made soap, herbs, fruits... No tourists at all - one of the best place I saw in Mali...
Tomorrow we will take a ride to famous Dogon Country...
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Feb 17, 2005 07:00 PM Bamako - internet and smog...
BAMAKO - crowded streets full of smog; wide Niger river; dusty bazar... Yes - there is internet acces in the capital of Mali - slow and not very reliable. It cost 500 per hour. My maibox is full... Many people do not know that I am on the hard trail in Africa. They ask for advice... Yemen, Pacific, Venezuela questions... I have very limited time and it cost a lot here to answer - if the computer is slow /yes, it is very slow!/ but how can I refuse if they address to me "the Master"??? Thanks to all of you for greetings, wishes and moral support...
Tomorrow I am taking a local bus to Douentza - Niger direction -13 hours drive- I do not know when and where there will be a chance to check the e-mail box again. Just keep your fingers crossed please!
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Feb 16, 2005 07:00 PM Country road to Bamako...
It cost 6000 francs CFA to jump to the bus going daily in the morning from Nara to the capital city of Bamako. If you want to seat in the cabin you pay 2500 extra. It is more then 450 km drive by the gravel, bumpy road in the dust, noise and heat; first baobab trees on the way! If you are lucky you will reach Bamako after 10 hours - dirty, sweaty - dreaming about the shower,
If you are lucky you will find it at the catholic mission - the best place in the town for the backpackers;
It is not easy to find it - go to the cathedral and ask there - it is still like 8000 m walk, You will pay only 3000 CFA for the dorm bed with mosquito net - the water is unlimited. What a plaasure!
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Feb 15, 2005 07:00 PM We are in Mali!
Mauritanian drivers drive fast. Camels, donkeys, small desert animals were crossing the road in the dark of the night. The collisions happened very often - there are many died animals on the roadside. Tired, dirty, hungry bwe reached Timbeghda at 3 am. Little amount of water - just to clean your face and hands. Lay on the hard flor of the local mud house.
At 7 am wake up, cup of coffee and local bread
We are driving on - to the border
At the beginning it war the piste /gravel road/ through the desert Then country road full of sand passing dry savanna. the road became smaller and smaller and I understood: we lost our way. Our local driver finally said: he was driving this road the first time; he asked the way - there were few goat herders... Wild people... Not easy to communicte
At 2pm little village appeared on the horizon - the architecture of the houses were different to those in Mauretania.
Driver asked barefoot kids. Yes, we are in Mali!
No plaques, no border post, no information - the next settlement - Nara is still 30 km away!
We reached it at 3.30 pm - in the hotel there were no running water, no light and no bank to change money. Yes, there were mosquitos!
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Feb 14, 2005 07:00 PM How to get to the Mali border?
If you are able to find the group of the overlanders ready to share the 4WD car just go to the Rue de Mosque Marocaine.
At the eastern end of the street you will see few junk landrovers; close to the in the shade of the tree the drivers sitting on the ground are drinking tea. Make a choice of the best car /important!/ and ask where is the driver. They will tell you the price: it is 150 000 ougija from Nouakchott to the first town in Mali. Write the contract, pay advance: 40000 at the moment of departure - otherwise it can dissapear with car and driver...
We started at 10 am. It is about 1000 km of paved road /The route of Hope/ to Timbeghda. Desert landscapes. At least, at sunset - 190 km before Kiffa you will see some picturesque mountains around, oases with palm trees in the sandy oueds...
At 9.30 pm in the dark: our car broken in the little village! They called for help. Miracle: the mechanicien working in the sand with a torch and few basic tools dissmounted the bridge, repaired it, assembled again... We were waiting on the side of the road laying on the mat and looking in the starry sky. At 11.30 the car was ready to go...
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