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    The Many Faces of Mali

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    There are the obvious; the amazing mud mosque in Djenne, the stunning scenery and villages of the Pays Dogon, a leisurely couple of days spent sailing the Niger River on a pinasse, and every night yet another picture postcard sunset. All of this makes Mali a worthwhile, if somewhat challenging, destination. But there are other more personal highlights that illustrate Mali for me. The beautifully tended and productive allotment gardens alongside the river in the centre of Bamako, the area by the river in Djenne where hundreds of brightly painted horse carts are parked on market day, being asked to join in a football game with kids on the street in Tombouctou (or however you spell it!), sleeping on village roofs in the Pays Dogon under the brightest stars I've ever seen, and dancing with a fully robed and armed Tuareg in the rave tent at the Festival of the Desert. That's the nice thing about Mali, because it is such a diverse country in terms of its landscape, ethnic groups, belief systems, and forms of expression, there are loads of opportunities for you to find your own highlights. ${QuickSuggestions} I speak reasonable French, but found it very difficult to make myself understood in Mali. By chance, I discovered that if I spoke French with an English accent rather than a French accent, then communication became easier. Don't ask me why, it just did. It might work for you. Under NO circumstances should you take white clothing to Mali and expect it to ever be white again. Particularly your underwear! The tea in Mali is horrible, it's that Liptons stuff with the yellow label that claims to be quality. Take your own tea bags if you're an addict.${BestWay} Most independent travellers I met were overlanders in 4x4s, or people who had hired a driver and 4x4 on arrival by air. Certainly the best way to get around, in terms of time, is on the road, but it can be pricey. The only alternative, really, is a local transport bus network between the larger towns, but breakdowns and long delays are not uncommon on these services. There is an internal airline service, but it is a bit pricey and flights are not every day. I didn't have the money for the first option, or the time for the second, and would never think of getting on a plane if there was an alternative, so I found another. I went on a 3 week overland tour on a truck, and it was an excellent way of seeing Mali.
    From journal The Many Faces of Mali