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We cannot get out of the Niafounke "hotel" fast enough. Over breakfast, a
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member of the band finds me and I buy a cassette tape. The name of the band is Abdoulaye Cisse. I have not listened to it yet, and do not know if it has the Lynyrd Skynryd cut, I'll update here as soon as figure out what I did with my old Sony Walkman. We drive the main route from Niafounke to Timbuktu, watching the Timbktu mile markers tick down, then abruptly take a left turn off the road and head North into the desert toward Araouane.
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First stop is a dune in a marshy area, overlooking a farming village.
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Hiking up a nearby hill, we explore ruins from early inhabitants of site and take in the expansive view. Sigrid's feet are acting up, so we go back to the car, then I scramble back to the group, which is now exploring a site that is reminiscent of a mini Stonehenge. Wes declares that "This is the most important site we have seen on this trip." Jan is dubious.
It is a hard driving day. Desert terrain shifts from rocky hill and marshland, to scrub with stunted trees, to burr laden grasses and thorny bushes, to dunes and sand.
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We visit a beautifully painted Falani home, where Sigrid shoots some portraits.
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We also stop at a village market, where I buy some salt from a local vendor, and Matthew gets in touch with his inner libertarian, finding a way to "Question Authority" in a unique new way. Sigrid and I are riding with John in the "Zebra" Land Cruiser (the only vehicle with zebra stripes painted on the sides). The sand is very soft and deep, and we get stuck a couple of times.
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At one point, with John's land cruiser buried to the axle in the bottom of ravine, a camel caravan ambles up, waits to be sure that the desert tourists manage to get their vehicle moving, than proceeds on into the desert. Lunch is at a Taureg camp under a tent on the canvas covered ground.
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Bouj rides in the lead car and directs the caravan over the dunes. At every stop, he spends more time on the cell phone than a software sales rep at quarter end.
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With progress slower than expected, we finally set up our desert camp at dusk, some 15 kilometers short of the planned camp location.
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