Travellingman reisverhalen - - Segou - Djenné
Day 8: 6 februari 2006
Segou - Djenné

Staying in Africa means you have to let go of the western standard. Also this morning we had to wait longer than expected. We asked our driver to pick us up at 7.30 am, but he arrived at 8.15 am.

We went to hotel Savane for breakfast. Before we could travel on, Lara and David wanted to change some money at the bank. I also needed some money and asked Momo to exchange some Euros for me at the black market. This seemed to be a much better way to get money because Lara and David didn't get their money because the telephone lines were down. In town we bought 2 boxes of each 12 bottles of water. Daily consumption is easily 1 or 2 bottles and buying them in restaurants is 3 times as expensive as buying it in a shop and there are not shops everywhere. Around 10 am we left Segou to go to Djenné. The distance is about 330 kilometer so it's a pretty long drive. The landscape consists out of low shrubs and small trees. There are many small villages, mostly with mudstone houses. In some bigger villages there is a school, mostly of concrete. Along the way we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. Aleen seemed to be first victim of stomach upsets. After lunch we travelled on. Along the road there are some police checkpoints. Some of them are pretty annoying and Momo had to negotiate (and probably pay to the police officers) a couple of times to pass. He was not really happy with this, because he thinks it gives a bad signal to tourists. It is not really surprising that there is corruption in this poor country.

The road is mostly well paved, but towards the town of Djenné it became worth. We even had to pass a small river by ferry. Ones they build a bridge, but this was destroyed during a rain season. They didn’t rebuild the bridge, because the ferry is cheaper and also produces some income for the local people. Around the ferry many people try to sell all kind of stuff. Even young school kids, who made all kind of things (like toy planes and cars made out of old cans). We arrived around 4 pm at the hotel. Except for me everybody got a room. We went to market, which is only going on Monday.

It's really crowded and a lot of merchandise is sold. To this market, people from far around (even from Bamako) came to sell merchandise or food. The market is just in front of the Mosque. On the other site of the market we were able to get on the roof of the building (thanks to Momo). From there we had a great view on the market and the Mosque.

After this a local guide took Lara and me around and he told about al kind of food and spices. We walked around for an hour in which time Lara bought some hats for her friends and I bought a game (Oware, which is played in many African countries and even outside of Africa). Around 5.30 pm we went back to the hotel where I sat down and had a soda and waited for a room to be ready.

After arranging a towel and some toilet paper, I had a shower (there was only a hose that once used to be a shower). About 7.30 pm we went for dinner in a restaurant at the other side of the market. The market place itself was already empty and the last truck with merchandise left. The restaurant seemed to be very popular with tourists and some musicians played music on the Djembé. It was already dark, so was difficult to see the musicians. The tables were only lighted by candles. To prevent that the candles are blown out by the wind, they were placed in an upside down empty water bottles (from which the bottom was cut off). We put some money together to buy some coca nuts, which might be handy in Dogon. Around 10 pm we went back to the hotel. From the roof of the hotel, I enjoyed the stars. After some reading, I went to sleep around midnight

Initial publication: 31 maart 2006
Last update: 31 mei 2008
© A. Heeroma

  • Travel route

Mali - Ghana 2006 tour
»Day 1 Amsterdam - Bamako
»Day 2 Bamako
»Day 3 Bamako - Segou
»Day 4 Segou
»Day 5 Segou
»Day 6 Segou
»Day 7 Segou
»Day 8 Segou - Djenné
»Day 9 Djenné - Mopti
»Day 10 Mopti - Dogon (Banani)
»Day 11 Dogon (Banani - Tirelli)
»Day 12 Dogon - Bandiagara
»Day 13 Bandiagara - Teriyabougou
»Day 14 Teriyabougou - Bamako
»Day 15 Bamako - Siby
»Day 16 Siby - Bamako

Goto next trip Ghana tour

  • Overige info

  • Mali
    »Bamako
    »Bogalan
    »Djenné
    »Dogon
    »Festival on the Niger
    »Kalabougou
    »Mopti
    »Segou
    »Siby
    »Teriyabougou
    »Road Bamako-Segou







    Click photo to enlarge