Trip Re-cap

So the trip has been really good. Definately had a ton of fun but also have been challenged like rarely before. So we left Accra and headed up to Ouagadougou with all of the fun transportation problems that I wrote about. Rested there for a few days and continued up to Mopti, Mali by bus. Mopti is this really nice West African city with the Niger river running right through it. We met this guy there who set us up to get transport to Timbucktu in the morning. The trek to Timbucktu is really intense...either you go by the Niger river which can take over a week (especially in the dry season) or you go by 12 hours in a 4WD vehicle. We chose this option. We drove up there, bumping and grinding all the way in the sand and on the way I even got a marriage proposal complete with an engagement necklace. These gents really know how to treat a lady. When we got to our hotel, we went out clubbing in Timbucktu (ONLY white people there) and then spent the next day touring the city and went on a camel ride into the Sahara Desert for the evening. The trip out was great...especially bright stars when there is NO nearby city to pollute the sky. Unfortunately, I got into a bad situation and ended up having some money stolen. Some things you have to learn the hard way I guess. From Timbucktu, our group split and my half went to Dogon Country, where you can hike through cliffs and rocks and explore villages there. Really amazing how people can live with such little access to the outside world...and mostly to water. The trip was nice, but intense and we got to sleep on rooftops every night. From Dogon, we hitch hiked with this random French group and got back to Ouahgouya, Burkina Faso with them. Got hit on a LOT but also got to sing at the top of my lungs while riding through a desert for FREE. Possibly worth it. Went back to our friends in Ouagadougou to recharge and then set off to see hippos. On the way, saw this horrible car accident. A truck carrying tomatoes overturned and killed one of the people in it. The body was lying out in the road, mostly covered by a thin sheet. We all got out of our bus to pay respects and it was really overwhelming and sombering. Made me think too about the shortness of life as well as the need to be as safe as possible over here. Went to see the hippos in Wa today and am getting on the safest transport possible back to Accra. The trip is about 20 hours so I'm glad we're playing it safe, even though it is expensive. Overall, I've had a good time and learned and experienced SO much. I'm ready to be back in Accra to chill and recharge but am planning a trip through Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Cameroon for May and June. BUT I will definately be back for my 21st bday and you are all coming to celebrate with me.