My desert jinx

Again I tried to go to the desert, this time for New Year's Eve, and again my desert jinx surfaced. Last time it was a sandstorm that stopped my nephews and myself spending the night in the desert. This time it was rain! Mind you I did get to ride a camel into the desert ( in the rain) and I did get to spend the night in a tent in the desert, but listened to the pitter patter of rain drops of the hessian as the water pooled above. Thank goodness the hessian had plastic below so I remained dry inside but it didn't help that I had wet jeans to sit and sleep in. So no campfire and no starry sky for New Year's Eve, but I survived.

Instead got up in the morning; the rain had stopped but the clouds interfered with the sunrise.

Although some people staying there were happy to greet the New Year.

Then it was time to get back on that noisy camel of mine The one that didn't like being at the end of the line, but had no choice.

It was a pleasant camel ride back to the auberge without the rain. On the way we saw a number of camel trains heading out to pick up large groups from their overnight camp.

As we neared the auberge there was lots of evidence of the recent rains (not just the previous night) as the lake was much larger than when I visited 9 months ago with my nephews. Then to top it off, we got stuck in the mud when driving out!

Just my luck, after breakfast at the auberge, I walk outside to be greeted by blue skies and sunshine!!Maybe it is thrid time lucky for my desert trip.

Mali - Part 4 (Timbuktu)

Timbuktu, like the back of Bourke in Australia, the place in the middle of nowhere. I finally made it to Timbuktu after a few dramas because the Australian government put out a "Do Not Travel to Timbuktu" warning. The highest travel alert possible!

With dirt streets, clouds of dust, mud houses and being bordered by desert, Timbuktu is a real frontier town. Full of men with heads and faces covered by scarves with just their noses showing. Once I had got enveloped in a couple of clouds of red dust, I could understand why. Women in colourful dresses and skirts carrying laundry and shopping on their heads. And, like everywhere, kids playing in the dirt.
Timbuktu does not take a long time to explore. It has three mosques, some houses of intrepid European explorers, an interesting museum, a colourful market and as for the restaurants, they all have the same 8 things on the menu.
To experience the desert, well sort of, we rode camels out into the desert for one hour then spent the night camped in a nomads encampment.
It certainly was a New Year's Eve with a difference. Especially with the disappearing tourists who came to join us around the campfire as it neared midnight, but could not be found in the morning, having not made it the 20 metres back to their camp. The sunrise was spectacular though as it got me out of bed at 6 am on New Year's Day!