After taking a rest in Burkina Faso - got both quite sick- we are very happy to feel
fit enough to continue our ride...
fit enough to continue our ride...
...let`s ride...
...till the rearweel-bearings of the Yamaha say no...
..."Pernot", the "little helper" for us and the bikes...
...voodoo, the lokals trust in different things...
Mali, the biggest mud building in the world
- Mosque of Djenne -
...Niger-river...
...crossing...
...driving east, direction Dogonland...
...rural farming in Dogon-area...
...a Dogon boy...
We had perfect ridings on dirttracks around Burkina and Mali, visited the Mopti Area and Dogonland and got lost a few times in the little villages. The situation more east is said to be dangerous, because of the fightings between Tuareg and Malian military. We were very careful and watched the advices at the police-checkpoints and the lokal peoples. The "Red Line" (No-Go-Area) was east and north from Mopti. We met very friendly people in the rural areas, had a very good time and saw nearly no tourists...
We had perfect ridings on dirttracks around Burkina and Mali, visited the Mopti Area and Dogonland and got lost a few times in the little villages. The situation more east is said to be dangerous, because of the fightings between Tuareg and Malian military. We were very careful and watched the advices at the police-checkpoints and the lokal peoples. The "Red Line" (No-Go-Area) was east and north from Mopti. We met very friendly people in the rural areas, had a very good time and saw nearly no tourists...
We started our way west - to Bamako, and were sure to be now really out of "dangerous" area...
...but...
...we arrived in Bamako, captial from Mali on wednesday, 21.03.2012 at noontime. One hour later some parts of the Malian military started to attack the newsstation and the Presidential Palace in the capital without any warnings. The military closed the airport, all landboarders and set a curfew (=Ausgangssperre) for Bamako. The military said, that they took over control about all Mali. They arrested a few ministers and the President is hiding himself anywhere in the country.
We get only very few and controversal informations, because the situation is very intransparent.
So we are sitting in our camp in the city and are counting the shootings around us - day and night. The atmosphere is very strange, no people on the streets, around 15 "tourists" and a few crazy journalists are here with us in the camp.
We are spending the days with waiting, talkings and try to avoid cabin fever (=Lagerkoller)...
We get only very few and controversal informations, because the situation is very intransparent.
So we are sitting in our camp in the city and are counting the shootings around us - day and night. The atmosphere is very strange, no people on the streets, around 15 "tourists" and a few crazy journalists are here with us in the camp.
We are spending the days with waiting, talkings and try to avoid cabin fever (=Lagerkoller)...
For the journalists around us it is buisness as usual and they are taking photos from the fightings on the street... strange...
At least there is still cold beer in the camp-fridge...and we feel quite save behind the campwalls...
23.03.12:
- There are some lootings in town, supermarkets, privat houses, some hotels - north of the river Niger (Information from the German embassy next to us).
- A journalist, living with us in our camp get robbed on the street.
24.03.12:
There is a rumor in Bamako, that the Tuareg military start an of offensive today in Timbuktu with the intend to take the chance from the chaotic moment in Mali to occupy this north-east city...
23.03.12:
- There are some lootings in town, supermarkets, privat houses, some hotels - north of the river Niger (Information from the German embassy next to us).
- A journalist, living with us in our camp get robbed on the street.
24.03.12:
There is a rumor in Bamako, that the Tuareg military start an of offensive today in Timbuktu with the intend to take the chance from the chaotic moment in Mali to occupy this north-east city...
25.03.12:
The lady from the German ambassy comes in the camp and give a report
- nothing really new - some negotiations are going on...
She ask us, how we are... our answer:
"quite good, but the beer in the fridge get less and less, we can not guarantee for our mood, when the beer is finished..."
!!!One hour later she brings a cold box of "Warsteiner" in the camp!!!
26.03.12:
-Demonstrations downtown started in the morning,
-14 governement figures start hunger strike
-Bamako airport will be opened on 27.03.12 from 6am to 1pm, only Airport, no Landboarders open (Info from German embassy)
A ironic story:
Today is the 21st anniversary of the last coup, when Toure putsched himself to power...
(Warsteiner finished)
27.03.12:
-Situation is comming calm, most shops are open, controversal storys about opening of Airport and landborders.
28.03.12:
Everything seems to come back to normal, Airport and landborders open...
...so we are back on the road, organising Mauretania Visa ;-)
http://mg.co.za/article/2012-03-26-malian-lawmakers-opposition-condemn-coup-chaos/
http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/222264.putsch-in-mali-fiel-nicht-vom-himmel.html
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/mali138.html
29.03.12
The west-african-union is setting an ultimatum from 72 hours, after this time landboarders will be closed.
The German Consul brings a nother box of Franziskaner and Warsteiner.
30.03.12
At 6.30 am. we escape direction Senegal. After 11 hours driving we arrive there and sleep straight at the Senegal border-post...we are save...
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