Day 14: Cotonou, Benin – The End or the Beginning?

As I was showering off the kilogram of dust off of me that had accumulated on my body over the past five days at my boyfriend’s Peace Corps site, in the pristine shower of the Hotel du Lac in Cotonou, Benin, where my boyfriend and I decided to splurge it being our last night – [...]

Days 8-13: Northern Benin

After we dropped of my brother at the airport in Niger to return home just in time for Spring semester, my boyfriend, his brother and I proceeded to Benin for one more week of adventure.
The second week differed from our first week in that we were no longer traveling long distances.  My boyfriend had been [...]

The Niger River Trip – Video

Below is a short video taken on our journey to Bamako, Mopti, Dogon and Timbuktu Mali with a dash of Niamey, Niger at the end. We had so much fun throughout the trip and I think that’s evident if you watch this.  Enjoy!

Days 6-7: Niamey, Niger

We had planned driving from Gao, Mali to Niamey, Niger months ago  My brother purchased his return ticket to the States from Niamey so we had a limited amount of time to make it there by Saturday, January 10th.  For months, I researched the road extensively online through people’s blogs and in person, inquiring about [...]

Day 5: Timbuktu, Mali

My eyes popped open, my heart pounded and my body jumped out of bed.  It was 4am in Sevare and I could barely contain my excitement,  “Wake up boys, We’re going to Timbuktu, we’re going to Timbuktu, we’re going to Timbuku!”  This was the day that would finally solidify my status as a world traveler.  [...]

Day 4: Sevare, Mali

By Day 4, I felt the boys needed a little bit of R&R before we headed to Timbuktu for the second half of our journey.  So we slept in, caught up on email, greeted my colleagues at the office, went swimming at the nearby hotel and ate well.  I’m so glad we did.  Little did [...]

Day 3: Mali – Dogon Country

Mali is home to a relatively stark and flat landscape.  In the center of the country however, large majestic canyons dot an area of 100 miles.  This area is popularly known as Dogon Country, or Pays Dogon in French, since the Dogon people have settled into villages along its edge. There are tens if not [...]

Day 2: Mali – Djenne, Mopti

It was my third time in Djenne, and yet, it never fails to disappoint me.  The city, declared a UNESCO heritage site, is made entirely of sand and mud, and home to the largest mud mosque in the world.  It feels like you are walking within a giant sandcastle city, so it’s easy for your [...]

Day 1: Mali – Bamako, Segou, Djenne

My boyfriend and his brother arrived in Bamako on the morning of  Saturday, January 3rd.  We had just enough time that day to go to the National Museum and to a beautiful lookout point before my brother arrived later that night

Point G – overlooking Bamako

Upon waking up on Sunday morning, and getting ready for the [...]

We’re not normal

Most people that go to Timbuktu….go to Timbuktu and BACK.  We, on the other hand, went to Timbuktu and on, and on, and on, and then BACK.
Going from the Sahara desert to the tropical coast of Benin within a week was one heck of a trip, but it was worth it.  Despite a few mishaps [...]

Timbuktu and Back

We did it!  Half way during our trip, we made it to Timbuktu and back!   In Niamey, Niger now and still another week’s worth of traveling to do.  More pics and stories later.  Off to see the giraffes.

T-1 Swimming on Land

That’s right.  Only ONE MORE DAY until my boyfriend, his brother and my brother arrive for a action-filled jam-packed two week visit I’ve nicknamed, “Swimming on Land.”  That is because we will literally be following the legendary Niger River by car from Bamako, Mali all the way to Benin (stopping in Segou, Mali | Djenne, Mali [...]