Western Mali - Diboli to Diamou

Baobab forest in western Mali between the Senegal border at Kidira and Kayes	24 November 2006	An excellent road connects Kayes, Mali with Kidira, Senegal	Rotel Tours of Germany expedition bus, Das Rollende Hotel
Donkey cart and baobab, Mali	Donkey cart and baobab forest, Western Mali	Baobab forest between Kidira-Diboli and Kayes, Mali	Baobab forest between Kidira-Diboli and Kayes, Mali
Cattle seeking shade beneath a baobab, Mali	Baobab forest near Diboli, Mali	We entered Mali 1 1/2 days after leaving Dakar, Senegal	Baobab, Mali
Baobab, Mali	Baobab, Mali	The road from the Senegal border to Kayes passes through a baobab forest	Baobab fruit
Excellent paved road between the Senegal border at Kidira and Kayes	Twin donkey cart, western Mali	The Dakar-Bamako Railroad, Mali	Unfortunately, this beautiful road does not penetrate far into Mali. After Kayes it is rough dirt track
Railroad crossing, Dakar-Bamako Railroad	Stop sign, western Mali	Régie des Chemins de fer de Mali (RCFM)	Herd of cattle kicking up dust, Mali
Outskirts of Kayes, Mali	Diakitel, Kayes, Mali	Cedez le Passage, Bouldevard de l'Indepéndance, Kayes	Monument, Bouldevard de l'Indepéndance, Kayes
ADEMA PASJ - political party office Kayes, Mali "Travail Solidarité Justice"	Hott Photo, Kayes, Mali	A donkey parked in Kayes, Mali	Ancient Merdeces truck, Kayes, Mali
Mosque, Kayes, Mali	Boy give thumbs up, Kayes, Mali	Lost sheep at the grand coiffeur, Kayes	Kayes, Mali
Kayes, Mali	Brazil fan, Kayes, Mali	CRAK - Fédération Nationale des Artisans du Mali Coordination Regionale des Artisans Kayes	Coca-Cola broke down ici, Kayes, Mali
Man and his two children, Kayes	Young girl, Kayes, Mali	Compagnie Aerienne du Mali	Foosball, Mali
The woman running the foosball arcade, Kayes	Colorful West African clothing, Mali	3 + 2? Kayes, Mali	Kayes, Mali
Kayes, Mali	Fly Emirates - Arsenal, Mali	Me with some kids in Kayes, Mali, with the Rotel Truck	Fly Emirates, Mali
Me and the kids in Kayes	Cat, Kayes	Mr. Bakary Traozé, shopkeeper with his son, Kayes	Independence monument, Kayes, Mali
Kids in Kayes as our bus leaves	Au revoir!	Railyard of the Dakar-Bamako Railroad, Kayes, Mali	RCFM Chemins de fer du Mali
Railway bridge crossing a dry river bed outside Kayes	They say the railroad link to the capital Bamako is why no investment has been made to upgrade the road from Kayes eastward	The bush of western Mali	The road from Kayes to Diamou soon leaves the railroad
Just a small taste of the crappy road ahead	Power lines from the hydroelectric station at Félou, Mali	Dirt track approaching Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali, 15km east of Kayes
It took us 45 minutes to drive the 15km from Kayes to the Fort de Médine	Fort de Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, a relic of Mali´s French colonial past	Rotel at Fort de Médine, Mali
History of the Fort de Médine - built in 1855 by the French	The village was founded in 1826 by Hawa Demba Diallo	Fort de Médine, built in 1855, withstood a siege by El Hadj Omar	Fort de Médine, Mali
Hotel de Ville, Médine, Mali	The HQ of Fort de Médine now houses town hall	Fort de Médine, Mali	Lake formed by a hydroelectric project on the Sénégal River, Médine, Mali
Sénégal River, Médine, Mali	Sénégal River, Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali
Fort de Médine, Mali	Powder magazine, Fort de Médine, Mali	Souvenir Colonial Français à Paul Holle, défenseur de Médine, 1857	Fort de Médine, Mali
Donkey, Fort de Médine, Mali	Ruins of the Officer's Mess, Fort de Médine	Donkey, Fort de Médine, Mali	Donkey in the ruins of the Officer's mess
Donkey, Fort de Médine, Mali	Donkey, Fort de Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali
Fort de Médine, Mali	19th century French artillery, Fort de Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali
Fort de Médine, Mali	MaliNov06 157.jpg	Multibarreled French artillery, Fort de Médine, Mali	French Gatling gun, Fort de Médine, Mali
French Gatling gun, Mali	Fort de Médine, Mali	Woman and girls collecting buckets of water from the Sénégal River, Mali	Old man, Médine, Mali
Donkey, Médine, Mali	Kids in the village of Médine, Mali	Médine, Mali	Boy in Médine, Mali
Médine, Mali	Monument in front of the Ford de Médine, Mali	Médine, Mali	Our big red truck made quite an impression on the local kids in Médine, Mali
This was not at all uncommon...	Bye bye!	The kids of Médine chanting "Allemand"	...and then chasing after the bus as we leave
Médine, Mali	Sénégal River below the Chutes de Félou, Mali	Hydroelectric plant at Félou, Mali	Hydroelectric plant at Félou, Mali
Centrale Hydro Éléctrique du Félou	Centrale Hydro Éléctrique du Félou	Sénégal River below the Chutes de Félou	Sénégal River below the Chutes de Félou
Sénégal River below the Chutes de Félou	Young man in Félou carrying a large bag on his head	Primitive grass hut of a local fisherman, Félou, Mali	Primitive grass hut of a local fisherman, Félou, Mali
Fisherman's hut overlooking the Senegal River, Mali	Fisherman on the Senegal River at Félou	Sénégal River at Félou, Mali	Sénégal River at Félou, Mali
Fisherman in a West African canoe called a pirogue	Fishing pirogue at Félou, Mali	Fishing pirogue at Félou, Mali	Man paddling a pirogue on the Senegal River, Félou, Mali
Man paddling a pirogue on the Senegal River, Félou, Mali	Man paddling a pirogue on the Senegal River, Félou, Mali	Man paddling a pirogue on the Senegal River, Félou, Mali	Man paddling a pirogue on the Senegal River, Félou, Mali
Man paddling a pirogue on the Senegal River, Félou, Mali	Another pirogue pulled up along shore	Bus taxi from Kayes, Mali	West African pirogue, Mali
Félou, Mali	Félou, Mali - the water level is low	Rocks at the Chutes de Félou, Mali	Villagers who live near the Chutes de Félou, Mali
The Rotel open for an overnight stay near the Chutes de Félou, Mali	Natural hole in the rock	River flowing through a hole, Chutes de Félou, Mali	Félou, Mali
Hydroelectric power station, Chutes de Felou	Chutes de Félou, Mali	Donkey cart carrying water	MaliNov06 251.jpg
MaliNov06 252.jpg	Woman of the village near Felou carrying buckets on their heads	Donkey, Félou, Mali	Boy from the village near Chutes de Félou
Boys from the village near Chutes de Félou	Côte d'Ivoire fan, Mali	Boy holding a big green bucket	Another boy from the village
Boy, Felou	Girl, Felou	Zidani	Girl from the village near Félou
Pirogue on the shore of the Senegal River, Mali	Senegal, Mali	Sunset over the hills west of the Chutes de Félou	Boys from the village who came to our camp
Sabine Staats-Brauer entertaining local kids with her art	Chutes de Felou, Mali	Fishing pirogue at dusk, Senegal River, Mali	Silhouette of boys leaving our campsite, the lead holding up his trophy
Silhouette of boys leaving our campsite at Chutes de Félou, Mali	Silhouettes, Chutes de Félou, Mali	Chutes de Félou after sunset, Mali	Lone figure with the Rotel
Africa has some beautiful sunsets	Rotel silhouette at sunset, Mali	Rotel silhouette at sunset, Chutes de Félou, 24 November 2006, 2 days out of Dakar	The Rotel at sunset camped at the Chutes de Félou
Another Fly Emirates boy, a recurring theme throughout the trip	Sunrise over the Senegal River, Chutes de Félou, 25 November 2006	Breaking camp for an early departure for a long driving day which will not see much distance covered	"Road" leading south from Felou towards Diamou, Mali
Rutted track that passes for the main road from Western Mali to the heart of the country	MaliNov06 319.jpg	Dirt track, Western Mali	Peanuts are grown by the villagers around Félou
What peanuts look like when they're pulled from the earth	On tracks like this we made slow progress	A truck coming in the opposite direction kicking up dust on the track	MaliNov06 328.jpg
Boy in Mali carrying straw	Walking two calves, Mali	They don't see many tourists here	The narrow sandy track between Felou and Diamou
Man operating a water pump, Mali	Round Afrian huts, Mali	Walled compound with 3 thatched huts	Mosque, perhaps Lontou
Village, Western Mali	Farmer tending peanuts, Western Mali	Kids waving as we pass	Village in Western Mali
Village in Western Mali	Village in Western Mali	While most of Western Mali is Muslim, this village, 25km from Kayes, is Christian	Christian village 25 km south of Kayes
50 kg bag of Thai rice "Le Baobab"	Village 25km south of Kayes	Western Mali village	Village 25km south of Kayes
Village 25km south of Kayes	Village 25km south of Kayes	Hamada Sissoko, Maçon à Fanguiné Koto	The family of Hamada Sissoko, villagers 25km south of Kayes
The young son of Hamada Sissoko	Village 25km south of Kayes, Mali	Another family in the same village	Village of round thatched mud huts, Mali
Boys in soccer shirts, Mali	Village 25km south of Kayes, Mali	In contract to Senegal's square huts, Western Mali's are round	A Christian village we visited about 25 km from Kayes
Young woman with infant, Mali	Older man in the village	Village elder on a donkey cart	Village elder
Old woman in the village 25km south of Kayes	Grandma	Woman and baby in front of the village church	A friendly send off from this pleasant village
Continuing down the dirt track towards Diamou	Another village in Western Mali	Brazil fan	We made very slow progress this day, maybe 80km in 10 hours of driving
Perhaps with a smaller Land Rover we could have made better time, but the "road" was very poor	European Roller, Western Mali	Since the railroad connects Kayes with the capital Bamako, upgrading the road is a very low priority	Rotel expedition truck, Mali
The road between Kayes and Mahina are horrible. One day in 10 hours we did 80km	Rotel expedition truck, Mali	Signs of erosion, Mali	The first significant high terrain we've seen since leaving Dakar
Western Mali	Friendly wave from a villager in Western Mali	Rondavels, Western Mali	Excited village children rush out to watch our big red truck pass by
Village of round thatched mud huts, Western Mali	Western Mali (14 05N/011 15W)	Prominent plateau near Diamou, Mali	Plateau near Diamou, Western Mali
Boy on a bike, Diamou, Mali	Diamou, Mali	Diamou, Mali	Piles of peanuts for sale, Diamou, Mali
Diamou, Mali	Diamou, Mali	I would guess women's clothing shop	Local bank - Caisse d'Epargne et de Crédit, Khasso Buntumba, Diamou, Mali
Boy in a faded Fly Emirates shirt, Diamou	Mali Post Office, Diamou, Station Hertzienne, Mali-Canada copperation project	SOTELMA - Société des Télécommunications du Mali, Diamou	Tailor shop with foot operated Buttefly sewing machine, Diamou, Mali
Auto parts store, Diamou, Mali	Main Street, Diamou, Mali	Shop in Diamou, Mali	Diamou Railway Station, Mali - Transrail
Diamou Railway Station on the line from Dakar to Bamako	Tientienfu 2008 Diamou	Diamou, Mali	Large outdoor ovens, Diamou, Mali