Dogon Country

After returning from Timbuktu, we stayed a day at the Pas De Problem Hotel in Mopti and planned a trip to the "Famous" Dogon Country. I had never heard of it, but it is a big deal around here, and many Frenchmen come here to see it.
So our day began at 6 when our guide arrived, and we went to the shared taxi stand for a taxi to somewhere.
After 2 hours, we departed. About 2 hours out we came to a permanent police check point, and our driver did not have his proper papers! I do not know how he thought he would get by, but at any rate he did not get by!
After about 45 minutes a policeman got in taxi with us, and we drove to the police station. We waited there for about an hour or so - then everything seemed to be corrected, and we headed out again!
We went to the end of the paved road, most passengers had already gotten off, and there started our hike into DOGON country. They are people who used to live in cliff houses but now live at bottom of cliffs in mud houses.

We arrived at our hotel about 5 that afternoon, and I was bushed! But the "hotel" was good. Can't say nice, because it was not NICE. But it was good. We slept on mattresses on the roof, which is always nice, and the toilet was open air - no ceiling - therefore no bad smell, and the shower water came from a tank rather from a bucket.

But I tell you, this is hard traveling. Between the departure times of the shared taxis, the rough rides they provide, the hiking, and the heat , probably the hardest traveling I've done on a consistent basis.
The next day we hiked out and were waiting on a taxi to come - supposedly the one that brought us in - when a very nice tourist bus drove up and turned around, we asked could we ride and he said, 'yes'. I think it had just dropped off some tourist who were going to hike for a few days, and now the bus and driver were free to run a little taxi service. As it turned out he was going to Bamako, and we were going to a town about three hours north of Bamako, so he said he would take us. We rode the bus till an hour and half past dark, and then we were in a town at night that we knew nothing about. Omar, our guide, was still with us and he had a friend who came and got us and took to us to his house - that was no good at all - no mosquito nets, no food, so then he took us to a little hotel that was good. A dorm room on the patio and good food. For supper we had a plate of blackeyed peas, and this morning an egg and toast and butter and jam and tea and coffee.
We will go back to Bamako tomorrow. All for now-
In Africa!
Johnny