Mali

Are You Feeling Hot Hot Hot !

The 200km drive from Tambacounda in Senegal to the border took 4 hours and the strong hot winds were relentless. The closer to the border we got the hotter and dryer it became. Once at the Diaboli border crossing the formalities were fairly straightforward. The main thing to be aware of is that you must go to the gendarme office first, which is not near the immigration and customs offices. To get to the gendarme office you must go into town and down a dirt track for about one kilometre. After getting the necessary information registered we sauntered through both the Senegal and Mali border controls within an hour or so. Another thing to note is that Mali doesn’t accept the Carnet du Passage, which we were not forewarned about.

Our intended destination for the night was Kayes, which is reportedly the hottest place in Africa. The drive took us about an hour through a sparse savannah landscape with numerous Baobab trees. The town itself is on the River Niger and is the first place that the French settled in Mali. We stayed at Hotel Le Khasso which had been recommended to us. Kayes doesn’t seem to have much going on. I did notice a SGS testing laboratory which means that there must be some significant mining and exploration activity in the region.

We decided to go for a walk into town along the river where it would be cooler. We reached the main bridge and found a hive of activity beneath it along a dam structure. People were swimming, fishing, socialising and cleaning vehicles. All were there to escape the severe heat. We had been warned by Kim and Tanya, a German couple we had met at the Zebrabar, that it was very hot in Mali, but we didn’t expect it would be this hot. Even sitting in the shade doing nothing you sweat profusely and need to drink copious amounts of liquid to quench your thirst and prevent dehydration. Apparently, we were quite lucky as things had cooled down from the 50 degree heat the area had endured a couple of weeks before. We should be thankful for small mercies.

We left early the following morning to avoid as much of the heat as possible, heading eastwards on the 600 km journey to Bamako, the capital of Mali. Our reasons for going to Bamako were two fold; firstly, to enquire about visas for Ghana and Burkino Faso, and secondly, to pick up my sister Jane from the airport.

The road for the first 150 km was patchy in places, but after that it was fine and we made it to Bamako at 4.30pm. We had been told of a small campment on the south side of the river called Hermankono, so we decided to check it out. Bamako is awash with motor bikes and they appear from every direction, overtaking from both sides of the car. We crossed the new bridge (avoid the old one as it is very busy) and arrived at Hermankono. Seeing a swimming pool we decided to give it a go for a night. The place was a bit run down but was convenient for the airport and for access to the road to Segou, which was our next destination.

The following day we called our friend Raphael, a French teacher working in Bamako whom we had met at the Zebrabar in Senegal where he was holidaying with his lovely wife and children. Raphael, being the super friendly guy he is, told us of a nice small hotel called Tamana in the Hippodrome area of Bamako, which was nearer the music venues etc. To avoid driving in the manic Bamako traffic, we decided to take a taxi to check Hotel Tamana out and also the embassies. We took an instant liking to Hotel Tamana (which had a lovely swimming pool and WIFI) and decided to stay there the following day when Jane arrived.

We were informed by the Burkino Faso embassy that you can get 7 day transit visas on the border and by the Ghana embassy that you could get Ghana visas in Ouagadougou, Burkino Faso. This suited us fine, as we did not want to hang around Bamako any longer than we had to as it is a big sprawling busy dirty city. Not my cup of tea at all. All I hope is that the information given by the embassies is accurate. If it turns out not to be, then we would have to come back to Bamako for visas.....arghhhh.

One thing that is good about Bamako is the music scene. We were told that Toumani Diabate, the best Kora player in Bamako, sometimes plays at Le Diplomat so we decided to go there the following evening. Later that day we caught up with Raphael who took us to a few African style back street bars where the beers were really cheap.

The following evening we picked Jane up from the airport and moved into Hotel Tamana. During the day we were stopped by a policeman, the first time so far in Mali. He had no reason to stop us and asked for our driving licenses, insurance etc. He declared that the International Driving License we showed him was not valid. He was technically correct so we showed him our other license (the one that is not valid for Nigeria) and he admitted it was fine. He then declared that the back windows of Proper Job were too dark, saying that this was not allowed in Mali. After explaining that this was to keep the heat out I suggested we go to the police station to discuss it further with his boss. At this point he became friendly and welcomed us as tourist to Mali. It is worth remembering to stress the fact that you are a tourist, as many governments are actively encouraging it as an industry.

That evening we headed to Savanna Restaurant where a live band was playing (although not traditional music) and then went to Le Diplomat to experience some truly great live Mali music. Toumani Diabate was playing and lived up to his great reputation.

The following day we decided to visit the artisanal market and the fetish market and, if we had time, the National Museum. Both these markets were very interesting. At the artisanal market you could watch them make jewellery, djembe drums and an assortment of leather goods and carvings. One thing I wasn’t enamoured with was the numerous leopards, python and other banned skins that were for sale. When offered them I told the sellers that they were banned from everywhere in the world so were not worth anything. I hope anyone with a sense of decency would not even contemplate buying such things. This is surely the only way to stop this senseless trade.

The fetish market was another shameful sight, and its array of animal and bird parts fuels a strong ‘black magic’ belief that exists in Western Africa. The smell on a hot day becomes almost unbearable and so after a brief wonder around we headed back to the hotel, deciding to skip the National Museum in favour of a plunge into the swimming pool. Whilst hanging around the pool we were approached by Boubacary Ouologuem (better known as Kaou) who offered to be our guide in the Dogon country. I would highly recommend him to fellow travellers and he can be contacted on Kaou12@yahoo.fr or mobile/cell 00 223 79104290. Anyone that has been here knows that every man and his dog claims to be a Dogon guide so you need to be careful choosing the right one. After some discussion with Kaou, he turned out to have some important attributes; he was from Dogon country, what he told us matched with what we had gleaned from others, he had a great sense of humour, he was very experienced and he spoke excellent English. We decided he was the one for us, so we wrote up a contract, paid him a third of the trip cost up front and agreed to meet him in three days time 500km away in Bandiagara (the gateway to Dogon country)

Later that day, Raphael and his wife dropped into Hotel Tamana for a cold bottle of Castel Beer. We wished them all the best with their new posting to the exotic island of Mayotte (somewhere between Madagascar and Africa) and bid them a fond farewell. That evening we watched the Bayern v Inter final on the hotel television. Sorry Rene, when you read this, but Mourino is too smart a manager for his Bayern counterpart.....by the way did you make it yet to South Africa on your motorbike ?

The following day we left early to get out of Bamako and headed eastwards towards the riverside town of Segou, which is about 300kn away. The landscape became greener the further east we went as the rainy season had started early this year. We reached Segou after a 5 hour drive and decided to stay at Hotel l’Auberge, which is close to the river, has a lovely shaded garden and, more importantly, a swimming pool. We had pre-arranged to meet a guide called Ibrahim who would take us by boat to the old village of Segou called Segoukoro, which is approximately 10km downstream. As we left the river bank it started to rain lightly which was an utter pleasure. The visit to Segoukoro is well worth it and Ibrahim, who is known to his friends as Jigibombom, proved to have an excellent history background. He keenly retold the story of the English explorer Mungo Parks who was the first white person to reach the River Niger here at Segou. Mungo met his demise further down the river after his party were attacked by another tribe and they drowned in a set of rapids....or so the story goes. When we got back to Segou, Jigibombom decided to show us how to drum. I accompanied him but was soon told I was much too slow and a local boy grabbed the drum and the session kicked off. Soon a crowd of people gathered around and the dancing started, building to a beat that only happens in Africa. It was great fun, and when it finished we enjoyed a couple of cold beers in the hotel garden. We really enjoyed our time in Segou, but the following day it was time to continue eastwards again towards the famous mud city of Djenne.

The road to Djenne is scenic and you pass through some very picturesque villages constructed of mud. The further eastwards we get in Mali the prettier the landscape becomes. Now I understand why all the Africa travel blogs I have read are all about the east of the country ! To get to Djenne you have to cross a river on a small ferry. I say small, as it only fits three vehicles on at a time. Once across, it is a few kilometres to the city itself. Today was Monday, and it is market day in Djenne which is a major event with people coming from many kilometres away to buy and sell goods. We drove around the edge of the market to Hotel Mafir and met up with a Djoli, a local guide who was a friend of Jigibombom (from Segou). First we visited the market, which was an explosion of colour and activity. The ladies, from many different tribes, were dressed in an array of traditional dresses. It was also a photographer’s dream, with so many interesting aspects to observe. There were many sections to the market, each one having its own speciality. We snapped as many pictures as we could before heading back to the hotel for a mid afternoon rest, picking up some of the best mangoes we have eaten so far.

Later that afternoon, when the heat of the day had gone (relatively speaking) we went on a tour through the city. We first stopped at the tomb of a young girl called Tapana Diekepo who sacrificed herself to chase off the evil spirits so that the new city of Djenne could be built. Apparently, before her sacrifice all attempts to build structures in the present day city site were unsuccessful. On further questioning it became evident that the poor girl had tried to resist but had eventually been talked into being covered in a mud tomb by her parents for the good of all the people of Djenne. Today, she is fondly remembered......and so she should be.

The back streets of the city are fascinating and the myriad of dirt alleyways offer great photo opportunities, especially with the very friendly children that are always willing to oblige.

The mosque is also a great site and is the tallest mud structure in the world. There is currently another minaret being built and wood scaffolding has been erected to assist with the task. Djenne has so far been one of our favourite places and it truly deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status.

The following day we opted not to stop at Mopti for a day but to go straight to Bandiagara and prepare for our 60 kilometre 4 day trek into the northern region of Dogon country, better known as the Trois Yougas. We stayed at Hotel Falais which had been recommended by a number of travellers. It is a very comfortable place with a nice shady garden and is well maintained. They are even building a swimming pool, but alas it will be a few weeks before it is complete. We telephoned Boubacary, who we had hired in Bamako to be our guide, and we met later that afternoon to go through an itinerary of items to take on the trek. We were keen to not take too much gear as it was extremely hot and carrying any extra weight would be unwise. The plan was to set off at 8.30am to Sangha and head down the escarpment into the valley.

The drive to Sangha was along a rough dirt road and in the end took about 2 hours. Upon arrival, we hired a porter, loaded up with water and headed by foot down the escarpment to the first village called Banini where we had lunch and cold drinks (which were to become a rare luxury over the days to come). The landscape is barren and on the edge of the desert, hence very dry and very hot. That afternoon we moved on to Pe Ni village where we were to spend our first night. During this time of year everyone sleeps outside beneath the starry heavens. During this time of year though, it is never cool as a constant warm wind blows along the valley. The food is tasty but simple, but the heat means that you rarely build up an appetite. What you are always consuming a lot of is water, and there are numerous wells along the valley and many of the rest houses have bottled water. Lying under a starry sky listening to the sounds of a remote Dogon village is an experience that is getting harder and harder to find in this world.

The following morning we set off at 7am for the trek towards Youga Na, the first of the Trois Yougas which are reportedly three of the most spectacular villages in Dogon country. Early starts were to become the norm in order to get to your destination before it became too hot. Typically, we would walk for 3 or 4 hours before stopping for lunch in a village followed by a long siesta prior to heading off again at 3.30pm to a village we would spend the night at.

Youga Na is a gorgeous village perched half way up the escarpment, known as the Falais. The architecture of Dogon villages is unique and fabulous. The construction material is mainly mud, and the villages blend into the escarpment is such a way that you would hardly know they were there. Occasionally you see amazing structures high up in the escarpment which are the graves of the Tellom people, who were the first inhabitants of this region. What happened to these people nobody knows, but they clearly had no fear of heights as some of the sheer cliff faces they ascended to build these structures beggars belief.

On the way to Youga Na we climbed to see one of the most sacred places in the Dogon’s animist culture, the Hogan Arou. The animists have not converted to Islam or Christianity and follow ancient spiritual beliefs. Around animist villages you see fetish structures which are sacred to them....be warned don’t touch ! The Hogan himself can neither leave his abode and temple or be touched (even by his wife). By the way, if any one reading this is going to visit the Hogan Arou near Youga Na then you could take an ostrich egg as a gift as they are short of two for the temple. This would be very much appreciated by the Hogan and the entire Dogon animist.....who could be useful friends. There are four senior Hogans of which the Arou is the highest authority. Hogans are selected from certain families and are the spiritual and cultural leaders of the animists, and are important to the Dogon community as a whole.

We spent a wonderful evening at Youga Na, and the Hogan Arou must have liked us as a nice cool wind appeared which cooled the place down. That night was a full moon and the sky was full of swifts swirling around in the moonlight.

The following day we visited a local market, which was termed a ‘social market’. As usual with African markets, there was much activity and colour. We soon found out why it was called social as there was a lot of millet beer for sale and some of the locals had really got stuck into it. It was quite funny to watch and we ended up trying some. It was warm and tasted like flat cider....certainly could never replace a nice pint of Cornish Tribute.

The following day we ascended the Youga ‘island’ escarpment, visiting Youga Dogorou and then descended on the other side to Youga Piri. Both of these villages, which make up the remaining two villages of the Trois Youga’s, were stunning. We then walked for a couple of hours across a desert back to the main escarpment, where we would spend our final night at a village called Yenndouma.....where we were told a refrigerator existed. Upon arrival we found the refrigerator, but it was not on and it took until the next morning to cool the water. At least we would have cold water for the following days five hour hike along the escarpment back to Sangha. Not to be deterred, we headed down to the market, which happened to be on that day, and secured two dozen juicy mangoes. The afternoon we gorged ourselves on them and I am finally addicted to something......yes mangoes !!

That afternoon, and evening, we watched from the rooftop the ‘comings and goings’ of the village. Hordes of people and animals going to and from the market and the never ending stream of children filing up water containers at the local well. On these hot days the best job to have here is a water bucket filler-up-er as you always have time to splash about and cool down.

After another good night on the rooftop we departed the following morning along the Sangha market walk. Markets are an important part of the Dogon culture and each day of the week there is one. Today it was Sangha’s turn and there were many groups of brightly dressed ladies coming from directions carrying their goods to Sangha.

The Dogon are an interesting people, and their history and culture are much too intricate to attempt to cover in just a few paragraphs. What I will say is that they are a very isolated people who have chosen to be so in order to protect their rich culture. Their way of life is quite simple and living on the edge of a desert as they do is very tough.

There are not many tourists around during the hot season and we didn’t see another tourist during our whole trip. I guess this is because of the mid 40’s heat which from 11.00 to 15.30 makes it almost impossible to walk in. We felt sorry for Jane as she had arrived just three days earlier from a Cornish summer into this raging heat. She even had a nightmare where she had to deliver post to the fetish animist villages...ha ha.

Our time in Mali is at an end and we leave tomorrow for Burkino Faso, via Bankass and to the Koro border. We hope the temperature will be lower.....even if only by a few degrees. Inshalah.