Mali

i really want to go to Mali! i did an assignment on Kandia Kouyate and ever since then i’ve been interested in the country. i’ve always wanted to travel to africa to help people build their lives.

I want to go to Timbuktu! It’s legendary, after all. I hope to be able to do a bit of touring in Africa some day. It seems to be neglected as a travel destination because of troubles in certain countries. To avoid the entire continent is a bit like never going to NYC because of the crime rate in LA.

because of my mom’s pics. she was there. years ago, but she was there. my uncle was born there, in bamako…..my mom was telling me, mali is a lovely place…..i believe her.

I served in the Peace Corps in Mali for 2 years. It changed my life and I will always be grateful to this wonderful country and its wonderful people. Mali, tu me manques beaucoup.

I went by bus from bamako to timbuktu, but I decided to fly back to bamako on the way back. From Djenne to Timbuktu, the busride was a nightmare by the end. Bring a full box of water for each person on this trip. I was there during end April-May so it was SUPER hot, and you will drink all the water and be happy you brought it when your vehicle’s fuel tank breaks and you are sitting in the desert w/ your companions telling you stories of bandits for 8 hours. We had many flat tires and then the fuel tank broke. Many hours after the fuel tank broke, another vehicle came by and assisted us. They put gas up on the top of the vehicle and fed it thru a tube down the window in the hot sun into the hood. We were about two hours into timbuktu driving like this. Somebody was even smoking in the back seat! I made them put it out. I LOVE MALI though. One of my favorite countries in Africa as well as the world. Super nice people. They have some interesting stickers you won’t find in Miami, Florida. Rambo, Bin Laden, Madonna, and Arafat ones among many other funny ones you can by at the markets on the cars cars and motorcycles. You see madonna next to laden side by side! Can’t wait to go back! Make sure you know some french to get by.

It was in 1990, I was living there for 3 years… Nice country and friendly people

I took an extremely hot and long train journey from Dakar, Senegal to Bamako, Mali. In Bamako I got to stay at a Catholic mission b/c a Swiss friend I was travelling with was applying to work with the Red Cross, and the two were apparently connected. Bamako is real Africa. Few tourists here. I love the red dirt. Lots of mango trees. People will probably offer you a mango as you walk by their home. From Bamako I went to Mopti which was okay, but I was really on my way to the Dogon region. The Dogon people have a unique culture. They live in mud houses and bury their dead in caves high in the cliffs that stretch throughout their region. I paid a few dollars to sleep on the roof of one of the mud houses. I got from Mopti to Dogon in a small pickup that as I recall had over 20 people in it. Get comfortable straight away because once it gets packed you won’t be moving much. I got a ride back on top of a large cargo truck, sitting on tires and other stuff. That was much more comfortable! A very interesting trip.

I really want to go to the world music festival in Mali, I don’t know this area of Africa at all and would really like to.

Mali is amazing! So many different people and terrain all in one country. Djenne is incredible, Timbuktu is interesting, but Dogon Country is definitely where its at!

I lived with a Malian family in a small village called Damana in southern Mali for two weeks in my junior year of high school. A school club called Building with Books sponsored me and other high school students to stay here while building a school for the villagers. It was absolutely the best experience of my life so far.