by phil | Nov 15, 2010 | Mali, Stories, W. Africa
This story has several parts. It has dragged on for too long and has been mostly about my poor health. I am sorry for that. It will be over soon and then I will talk about Dogon Country, a wedding, Bambara, camel drawing, and a few other pretty cool things about Mali....
by phil | Nov 10, 2010 | Mali, Stories, W. Africa
This is what people say, right? I went to Timbuktu and back? To exaggerate distance? I understand. And this is why many people visit Timbuktu. They want to say they were in that place from that expression and yes it is far and yes there is nothing there. This...
by phil | Nov 8, 2010 | Mali, Stories, W. Africa
The quatre quatre ride between Niafunke and Timbuktu was manageably uncomfortable. There were four people in the backseat, four in the trunk, and three on the roof. I shared the front seat with a husky man who knocked me into the gear shifter every time he laughed. He...
by phil | Oct 8, 2010 | Mali, Stories, Tips, W. Africa
Middle of the day a week ago, I start to feel feverish and fatigued. I considered what I had eaten in the past 24 hours. Had I poisoned my guts for the first time in Mali? Did I have a cold? Did I have the African cold? The African cold is malaria and even with...
by phil | Aug 5, 2010 | Ghana, Stories, W. Africa
For the first time on this trip, I have experienced catastrophic, explosive diarrhea. This was inevitable. My eating habits have been reckless and I often purchase sachet water that tastes like dirt. Travelers diarrhea has various incarnations. Before today’s...
