Monday, November 26, 2007

Images of Mali and Senegal

Bit of time on my hands today, so here are some more photos. We start with the Senegal River at St Louis, Senegal; then Bamako, Mali outside the main post office; getting on a bus in Mopti, Mali; an interesting building in Dakar, Senegal; the Mosque at Djenne, Mali and finally a street on the Ile De Goree, Senegal.






Bogartting the Blog



Hi all

Well, the trip is winding down. Casablanca is a fine city, one without hassle like Senegal which I think had more hassle than the other West African Nations I have visited.

It's also much cooler, about 18 degrees yesterday. I have a bit of a cold with isn't much fun. Still, I have had enough energy to walk around the city a bit and take in the amazing Hassan II Mosque, the third largest in the world (pictured) and then stroll the Medina (one of the gates also pictured). Not much else to see here I believe, so it's been a nice little day. Also far cheaper than West Africa here too.

No time to really take in what Morrocco is like, I am sure Marrakech is a far different city - more tourists more hassle. Still it hasn't been a bad little stop over all told. Hard to believe I will be home in a few days. I had a shave in a barber shop today, and saw news of the Australian Election. Smiley face.
So tomorrow I get on a plane tomorrow. If it leaves without me I will regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday, soon and for the rest of my life....

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Pictures from The Dogon Trek

Finally I have had a chance to get some photos from the amazing Dogon Trek up. I am in Casablanca today and tomorrow, and then to London and home by the end of the week. Enjoy the pics!
First is a village called Injeli (I think), then some rocks on the escarpment, thirldy in the village of Ende the girls (who do all the hard work in Africa it seems!) pound millet, Fourth are houses (no longer inhabited) on the cliff face, Fifth the trek begins, and finally a couple of Dogon children.




















Friday, November 23, 2007

St Louis, Senegal

Folks,
The trip is winding down.
Two days ago I journied from Dakar to St Louis, tomorrow I return to Dakar to take my flight the next day to Casablanca, then London on Monday and home Tuesday night (arriving two days later).
Ive found the last few days a bit tough - just exhaustion really. Where as Mali was light on the hassle, Senegal certainly isnt. Not in St Louis and certainly not in Dakar.
I headed two days ago to the Dakar Gare Routiere. It was the biggest and most confusing that I have seen. Still; I soon found myself on a minibus to St Louis at about noon. Only three people on the thing, oh god i thought, It will be a good two hours before we leave. No... I was wrong, try six and a half.
Crikey indeed.
Still, I showed great patience as we began our ride that should take between three and four hours. Wrong again. Peak hour in Dakar, and you`ve never seen traffic like it. It was stuffy and hot whan the minibus was stationary, and it was for a long time getting out of Dakar. To get to Thies, 70km away it took three hours. I kid ye not. Then we were held up as there was a bad looking accident on the road involving four vehicles. Very bad indeed... Two ambulances needed - but thank goodness they were available. I shudder to think the response time in say Niger.
Another accident slowed us down a little further on. In summary - arrived at St Louis just before 1am. Phew. Makes that journey from Parkou to Niamey seem quite successful.
Now St Louis.... was steaming hot yesteday. A sleepy sort of town, not luch to do. Fine, I don`t want to do much. Had some good mmeals thankfully as the I journied here four bananas made up my lunch and dinner. Still trhe hassle exists in the centre of town. Cooler today but a hot sun. Such is life... I can`t believe I am so close to returning home, but I have to say I am tired and ready!! Africa sure takes it out of one!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Mission: Dakar

So
I am here in Dakar. I flew in two nights ago, and was quite assaulted by many taxi drivers at the airport, but I made it safe and sound. To be honest, part of me thought I would never make it to this place.
Still here I am at last, with just over a week of the holiday left. Mali was brilliant in retrospect, even if tough going at times. Bamako was not the most impressive of capital cities, but could hold interest for a day or two. Lots of markets and things to buy, if only I had some money left. Much more in Bamako than the rest of Mali - from restaurants to toilets being sold on the side of the road, but still poor; dusty and as polluted as any city I have been to before, excpet for perhaps Dhaka in Bangladesh.
And now, Dhaka to Dakar is complete. Dakar, Senegal is a pretty happening place. Easily the best of the African capitals that I have visited in terms or money - new buildings, obvious investment, new roads being built, even an over pass of sorts. Still there is a lot of hassle though. I visited the interesting and colonial Ile de Goree yesterday, which also has a slave trade history. Today its a nice place, people swim; there was a music festival too. Still; the past lingers in the Maison des Esclaves. Very popular (the island) on a Sunday, absolutely packed.
A little look around the city today, then to St Louis tomorrow....

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Nothing easy, but safely in Bamako; Looking to Dakar

Well, here I am in the Malian capital of Bamako, and getting here was a bit of a challenge.
We took the bus from Segou which left at about 10am. Almost immediately the bus had to stop and they needed to tinker with the engine. This had me only mildly worried. On we went and the trip had taken nearly four hours and we were perhaps thirty kilometres out of Bamako. Then the bus just died. The engine stopped, and they couldnt get it going again. We were all left to our own devices to solve the problem, the bus company had nothing to say on the matter. So, Paul and myself hitched our way in on a green van carrying bags of coal. A unique experience to say the least. I accidently disconnected the drivers speaker and hqd to reconnect it.
Once inside Bamako We were put on local transport, supposedly to our hotel. No sir, we got to the centre; and then a nice policeman found us a taxi who knew where to go, so at about 3.30pm we found our hotel. Quite a day, but that`s African travel for you.
Tonight I fly out, inshallah, to Dakar. Yes that final goal is well within sight; although anything can happen yet... The airport is definately open though, so that`s a good start.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Segou

hello all
im in the town of Segou today. Sleepy town along the Niger River... its hot. Im a bit tired. Had a lovely steak sandwich for lunch....thats about all

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Dogon trekking, Across the universe

Here I am in Mopti, Mali. I am sorry for the lack of recent postings but it just hasn`t been possible.
A week ago I left Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and took a bus to Ouigouyah in the north. My friend Paul and I met a couple of Irish girls and we teamed up to visit the Dogon country, along with Timbuctu this countrys premier tourist attraction.
The Dogon Escarpment stretches for some 150 kms, basically a large long cliff. Tribes live both below and above this escarpment. We found a guide, and from Bankass in Mali we set about trekking some of this area.
Starting at a village called Kani-Kombelai were walked along the bottom of the escarpment to villages Ende and Teli. We slept on the rooves under the stars and enjoyed the hospitality offerred; even though there was no electricity and the food was basic.
The next day we climbed the escarpment to Begnimato. Its all very rural but the scenery is just breathtaking. Ok; so they have coke for sale. The heat is bad so a coolish drink never goes astray. Much of the village life hasnt changed much for ages.
Another rooftop night, and then we were driven to Bandiagara the next day. Then yesterday to Mopti.
Paul and myself took a trip on the Bani river yesterday which was great; then today we did a day trip to the town of Djenne where the worlds biggest mud-brick structure, an amazing mosque, stands. We were guided around there for a while, another amazing place. tomorrow its onto a town called Segou....

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Silly Keyboards in Burkina Faso

So I am here in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso Again. It was quite the plane journey - or series of, as my mate Paul and myself flew London to Casablanca to Niamey to Ouaga. And here we are, after arriving at 2.40AM.
It is around 37 degrees celcius here, sop that`s a dramatic shock to the system. The place is still familiar, and I have a throat infection too so again i am here and not feeling the best. It is a weird feeling to be here... as nice as the place is for Africa if they could just knock five degrees off the temperature I would be very grateful. A bit eerie after the way I left last time.... still; Im up for the challenge.

Off towards Mali tomorrow by bus, hoping for some decent sleep tonight. And the keyboard... Id forgotten just how bad it was, keys moved all over the place. I am planning my revenge on the man who invented this keyboard.

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Throaty Times

Well it's been a strange few days here in London. The weather has been mild, but I've been sick since Saturday. I've a throat infection which is very painful, so I didn't get to do much here as I have been trying to recover before flying to Africa.

I did walk along the Thames and see Big Ben and the Millenium wheel before coming down sick... I saw 'Spamalot' too, the Monty Python Musical based on Monty Python's Holy Grail. I was so high up that I nearly needed oxygen. Actually that's when I started to feel sick.

Yesterday I made my way to Ockley in Surrey where Paul and myself got our Burkina Faso visas. The honoury consul operates out of his small office in a shed, it was quite the 'different' experience. I returned to London and visited a doctor who gave me some medications and told me I was fine to travel today to Ouagadougou. Who would have ever thought I would return there! I leave for the airport in less than half an hour, although we don't arrive in Ouaga until 2.40am. Now that should be an experience!

Saturday, November 03, 2007

Airport Hijinks

So I am at Helsinki airport, it is 6am and I discover that my flight from Casablanca to Bamako has been cancelled, from an email from my travel agent. Wowser... what could have happened? just like that?
I went to Air France at Heathrow to find the airport at Bamako is closed for a week for repairs! No, I had never heard of such a thing before. SO I am now booked to return to Ouagadougou on the 6th... It's more flying and travelling overland to Mali, but not real option. On top of that I need to get a visa for Burkina Faso now before I go, and I had to book for my friend Paul without his ok as I couldnt contact him, but the seats were disappearing as I waited.
So I have to go to Surrey, where the Bukina Faso Honoury Consul lives and works out of his own home and can process visas on the spot on Monday. Bizarre.
Here I am bleeding money, but have my own comfortable apatment with a wide screen tv, so shouldn't complain too much. Been checking out locations where doctor who was shot... yes i am a dork and proud!

Helsinki

Helsinki - I had one day. I caught the ferry from Tallinn, it took an hour and a half (twas the fast ferry).
After checking in to my hostel I visited several sights (and had a subway!). I went to the 'Cave Church', which has a far longer finnish name which I can't possibly remember. Inside a huge hill of rock an amazing church has been carved, with a man-made dome.
From there another Church, and Orthodox one close to the port. Allowed inside of this one, it shows the influence of Russian Orthodoxy even beyond its own borders. There is also an impressive cathedralin the centre of town.
I visited the cable factory - no longer working as one, it's a home to Helsinki's artists. An exhibition was there influenced by Africa. I will soon be there!
Then I visited the impressive National Museum.I spent an hour and a half there, and enjoyed much of what I saw and learned things about Finland I didn't know. I tried hard not to walk around humming or singing Monty Python's 'Finland' or 'Hard Rock Hallalujah' (Lordi). A very warm and friendly city was Helsinki, where the toilet cost an unreasonable one euro.... but I had to get up at 4.15am to catch my plane to London....

St Petersburg Pictures


Hi folks

well, here are some photos of St Petersburg. First Is me in front of a defaced picture of Dima Bilan, who sang at Eurovision 2006. Outside the biggest train station in St Petersburg is number two. Inside the Hermitage number three, number four is the Church of the Spilled Blood, and finally the Alexander Monastry.