Back in Bamako!

Back in Bamako!

Ok, if you want some adventure in your life, I can recommend, go to travel through Mali on your own. In one week I went to two cities, Segou and Mopti and went tracking in the Dogon Valley. It was an amazing experience. However, I got my high ups and deep downs. I got to know myself more. Sometimes I felt like the strongest women on earth, one minute later I felt lonely and lost. But even that moments were so worth it!

One day after my arrival at Bamako I left my safe harbour (read: the parents of Ingrid) and took a taxi to the busstation. There the journey began.

I waited for hours at busstations in between all the men, beautiful women and kids, which have holidays. I sat in crappy busses. I drunk tea with boys on the streets. Slept at deserted roofs with only a guard watching me. Hiked through the Dogon area. Played with African kids. Experienced some thunderstorms. Wandered around in cities. Met nice guides and bad guides. And ate simple breakfast in the streets. Most of the time I was the only not-native, in the bus, in the city etc. That was quite amazing. However, after two days I was already longing for some European company.

Here some pictures of the first week. Of the most special things I couldn’t or didn’t dare to take pictures. The night that I had to run down at 1 o clock at night for the rain, the time I was the only tourist thrown in a group singing and celebrating Dogonwomen, the beautiful women in the market… Imagine those things too.

Actually I’m really impressed by the way the way people live here. So back to basic, so poor. Life is though. Pregnant women are working in the fields. Old men are walking miles to sell some nuts. The meals are the same everyday. Animism is still alive. Clothes are ripped. And the government doesn’t do a lot for regions as the Dogoncountry where everyone has to walk miles to get some water and food. If I’m home I will explain more of the situation here. Now it’s not really the time.

But what I already conclude, everyone has to go to Africa (and no, not the touristy places) one day in his life to experience the different way of life. It will definately change your perspective on the world.