So it all began Wednesday night when Alexis and I went to the bus station to buy tickets for the overnight bus from Ouaga to Bamako on TVC. Unfortunately we were 30 minutes late and they were sold out for that night. We were determined though and found another bus service “Africa Tours” that was leaving the next day at 12pm and would arrive in Bamako at 1am Friday. The bus ride sounded too good to be true, the expectations were an air conditioned bus, comfortable seats, and an only 12 hour journey. Nonetheless we went forward and placed our faith in Africa Tours, taking a relaxing Wednesday night and arriving at the bus station at 12pm Thursday to wait for the bus.
We waited, and waited, and waited, and around 2:30 someone from the bus service came to us and explained that the bus had already been filled up when it departed from Benin and there were no longer seats available. After a bit of talking, we were promised passage to Bobo, Burkina Faso without seats and then seats from Bobo to Bamako. By 3:30 or so we boarded the bus and we were off- on our butts.
Africa Tour Bus
By the time we arrived in Bobo it was clear that not all the seats were going to materialize and that arriving by 1am Friday was only a dream. Denise was able to get a seat and after some creative legwork and contortion Alexis and I made due and arrived at the Mali border at around 12am. We stopped, did passport check, and went on. Then stopped, did bag check at customs and went on. Then stopped again, and we did not go on. Without a police escort, the bus was not allowed to travel at night, which meant a night under the Malian stars outside the bus.
Nighttime at the Border
Denise laid her blanket out and we all huddled together trying to get at least a bit of shuteye. Luckily our slumber party was cut short after only an hour, a police escort arrived and the bus headed on, direct to Bamako! This meant back to the contortion, fortunately a man offered me his mini-cooler and I found a wonderful forward fold position that put me right to sleep.
Alexis Forward Bend Sleeping
After another six hours, we arrived in Bamako! By this point nothing could stop us, not even the poorly functioning cab that stalled at least forty times in the middle of traffic on our way to the Radisson Hotel!!!!!
When we arrived, the hotel was like a mirage in the desert. Everything seemed too good to be true. We walked into the air conditioned building and opened the door to a beautiful business class room complements of Alexis’s amazing parents.
Hotel Room
Although beaten and battered, we have tried to make the most of the hotel experience i.e. Denise/Andrew/Lorraine enjoying some hotel food services and Sarah going for a work out at 11pm. Alexis sadly was too tired to figure out the shower and could not find the hot water, but was able to find the bath robe and bath slippers. Today, though is move out day and back to work.
We are holding a workshop this morning and hope to catch the world cup soccer games the rest of the weekend! It’s hard to believe there are only 4 days left in our adventure!
In The Field: West Africa 