Boating Up The Niger RiverJan 30, 2008
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| Woke up early to start the river journey to Timbuktu. The boat is called a "Pinasse" and is hand carved from wood and is shaped like a big canoe but has a crew of four and has a little open kitchen and a "bathroom" (a covered area in the back with a hole that goes down into the river). It is really quite comfortable considering there are fifteen people on it. The cook makes breakfast and lunch and we park the boat on the river bank at dusk to eat a 3 course dinner and then put up provided tents. I bought some blankets from the market to keep me warm at night and they work well! We sail by various little encampments of people and animals. It looks really primative and what you probably imagine Africa to be with kids running around naked and women with pots on their heads and washing clothes in the river. But it is a very humbling thing for an American to see. And for my girl Colby Evans- I visited a school today with children your age and smaller who learn three different languages and learn to interpret the Koran. They do not have many books for pencils and need them. But they sang songs to us and they are living the best that they can. Oh yes! Still no clothes....but I am doing very well and enjoying my trip! |
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