Today Sigrid and I begin our second great travel adventure in Africa. Our first was more than a dozen years ago, and was also my first effort maintaining a travel journal on the (then) new World Wide Web. Then it was Southern Africa. This time it is Western Africa.
We are leaving for London today, continuing to Dakar, Senegal, and then joining a tour in Mali. This will probably the most challenging travel experience we have attempted, so are looking forward with excitement, anticipation and trepidation. I am bringing an old laptop, and will try to keep a journal going, but don't know how well we will do with internet connections and power. We should be ok through Dakar, but will probably go dark for most of tour, until we finish in Timbuktu.
We are burning most of our frequent flier miles for this trip. Preparation has been extensive, with Sigrid carrying most of the burden of getting things together.
I am not sure whether we have spent more at the travel clinic on vaccinations or at REI on camping equipment. We are mostly packed and ready, but still in a last minute panic this morning.
Why West Africa? You got me. I asked the same question about our trip to South Africa, and it was one of the great experiences of my life. I don't ask any more.
Sigrid is a closet anthropologist/archaeologist and always wanted to go to West Africa, so we are going. I am along for the ride. I think it was Kurt Vonnegut that said "Unexpected travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God."
Start the music.
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