September 1, 2011

September 1, 2011
We ate and we shopped and I have spent a fortune. It’s uncomfortable shopping as the folks that run the shops will come after you down the street to try and get you to come into their shops. They follow, they beg, they plead and if you don’t hold onto your purse they’ll steel if they have to. We found a lot of beautiful things though and when they see us with all our bags they know we are shoppers. I bought necklaces, fulani hats, earrings, a mask, a beautiful knife that we got to watch our friend Abu from Tombouctou make. It was an expensive day but well worth the trip and the money.

September 2, 2011
We went to a women’s cooperative today where they make and sell mud cloths. All of the colors that they use on the cloths are made from mud, bark, ash and leaves. It was very interesting. We got to make our own little cloth to take with us for a souvenier. They sold jewelry in the store. What’s a girl to do!!?? I shopped.

We left today to Sikasso. This is the beginning of the end of my trip around Mali. It was just long enough. I am shopped out and exhausted. Veronica and I will stay in Sikasso for a day or so then head back to my site. We may head over to Bougouni just because there’s nothing to do in my village and it’s not time for her to head back to Ghana yet. We’re playing it by ear. Whatever happens is whatever happens.

Just Veronica and I left Segou for Sikasso.  Genni stayed as she was going to catch a PC shuttle to Bamako on Suncay.  We got on the bus at 8:30.  The bus we got was with Wasa Transport. I was told this was the worst line and now I know why.  They seats were dilopadated, ripped, dirty and stuffing coming out.  The floor was filthy, it smelled god awful and it was probably 110 degrees and the windows don't open.  We were stuck in the very back row again.  Before the trip even began we were sweating our asses off.  There are vents on the roof that are open so when the bus starts moving and there's a breeze coming in it can only get better right?  Wrong...apparently there were bags of millett on the roof of the bus so when the bus started moving loose millett and the dust from the bags started flying around the bus.  At first I couldn't imagine what the hell was blowing in my eyes.  Then I looked down and my skin (stuck in the sweat) and covering my clothes was millett and millett dust.  I looked around me and everyone was covered in dust.  People were yelling to shut the vent and just pissed off that they were all dirty.  Finally the bus guy shut the vent.  It stopped any new dirt from coming in but of course no there's no air and because the dust and dirt is stuck in sweat there is no getting it off of you.  That's OK.  It's part of the challenges of traveling by public transport.  I can take a bath/shower when we get into Sikasso.  It's only 7 hours away.