Always in the deep woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is an ancient fear of the unknown and is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. What you are doing is exploring. -- Wendell Berry

The TRIP: GUINEA - wonkifong --> MALI - bamako, djenne, douentza, Dogon Country --> Burkina Faso - ouagadougou, bobo-dioulasso, bala, ouagadougou --> GHANA - tamale, mole national park, tamale, yeji, volta lake ferry, akosombo, accra, green turtle lodge, elmina, cape coast, accra, hohoe and wli falls --> TOGO - kpalime, atakpame, lome --> BENIN - cotonu (transport stop) --> NIGER - niamey, tahoua, agadez, camel trek in aiir mtns, niamey --> BENIN (abomey, grand popo, ouidah, ganvie, cotonou) --> CAMEROON (douala, buea, top of Mt Cameroon, limbe, sangelima, yaounde, kribi, douala) --> MAURITANIA (nouakchott, atar, chinguetti, camels into the sahara, terjit, choume, ride the coal train, nouadhibou) --> MOROCCO (western sahara, dakhla, agadir, essaouira, marrakesh, imlil, summit of jebel toubkal, fes, chefchaouen) --> cross the Strait of Gibraltar --> Malaga, Spain --> fly to Geneva, Switzerland --> Les Grangettes, France
Click for a map. Updated April 30, 2007

samedi, mars 03, 2007

In Ouagadougou

On March 1, we left Mali for Burkina Faso. The ride from the Malian border town of Koro to the Burkinabe town of Ouagiyah was long and dusty. The area is flat with little growth and as the wind howls, dust fills the air. Arriving in Ouagiyah, I was almost the dirtiest that I have ever been (mud-sliding at SES not included). From here, we used Burkina's great bus system to get to the capitol, Ouagadougou. At the moment, the big Burkinabe film festival that happens every two years is taking place. Last night, I saw Blood Diamonds which is quite intense as it discusses diamond tracking and events that took place in Sierra Leone. There are some clips dedicated to Forecariah, Guinea where I did my training for Peace Corps. Unfortunately, the filming was not done in Guinea.

From here, we plan to continue to the southwest corner of Burkina Faso for a few days.

posted by Frank @ 11:11 AM