Welcome to Mali - I chose to sleep on the street
Day 15
Mon Aug 1
Start: Ayoun el’Atrous, Mauritania
Mid: Kobenni, Mauritania [15 49 N 09 21 W]
End: Nioro, Mali [15 10 N 09 33 W]
Having left Ayoun at three in the afternoon I didn’t think I would make it to Nioro that day. The man at the garage park said he could drive me to Kobenni for 1300UM or to Nioro for 4500UM. I thought those where too much but he wouldn’t budge. Only when the police officer which confirms the tickets was present did I learn those were the legitimate prices. However, I already bought my ticket to Kobenni, since I didn’t have enough UM on me to buy the Nioro ticket. He said he would take 11250 CFA for it; almost 30% mark-up on exchange rates! No thank you.
During the ride I figured out what should be the reasonable payment from Kobenni to Nioro, based on exchange rates; etc. Anywhere from 6000CFA to 8000CFA. Got transport to Nioro for 6000UM so I was happy.
At the Mauritanian-Mali border the guards wanted 1000UM to stamp exit-stamp our passport. I watched as everyone took out their wallets and paid. I took out mine and looked inside. I was down to 700UM. I handed it to him.
“1000UM!”
“700UM” I said pointing to the stack
“1000 UM !”
“700 UM. All gone! No more UM. It’s finished” and I opened up my wallet to reveal nothing. All my Mauritanian currency was gone, none to be saved and my last 700 of it went to pay a bribe. I was let off the hook and he stamped by passport.
I arrived in Nioro after sunset. My first night in Mali ended up being my worst to date. After walking around for a bit trying to find a hotel I managed to get a Malian to help me and we found out that was willing to give it to me for 5000CFA (~$8). I thought that was too much, but with hand gestures and showing me the room it became evident that no single room was available so if I wanted to have a room to myself I would have to pay for both beds.
The room that I had rented consisted of a bedroom and shower room. The beds were just cots with flimsy foam mattresses and a single bullet-holed blanket partially covering them. The floor hadn’t been swept in ages since when I put down my bag there was a puff of dust. In the shower room the manager showed me the shower did in fact have running water; but failed to mention that the toilet didn’t and the bowl itself was infested. The lights to the shower room didn’t work and when I turned on the lights to the bedroom I was electrocuted to the point of almost falling on my knees.
The springs to the beds were broke, so I put the two mattresses on the floor on top of each other and tried to sleep on them. A few things kept me up:
Mosquitos, which has I tried to swat them I unintentionally would get three or four in my hand.
A few cockroaches that scurried across the floor.
Something was biting me in the legs, despite sleeping in jeans.
Tried sleeping outside, but the guards were talking loudly with their motorcycles going back and forth and marijuana smell all over the place.
At three in the morning I left, leaving the money on the table in the room with the key holding it down. From three to seven I walked the streets trying to sleep in a corner, under a truck, and anywhere I could.
Mon Aug 1
Start: Ayoun el’Atrous, Mauritania
Mid: Kobenni, Mauritania [15 49 N 09 21 W]
End: Nioro, Mali [15 10 N 09 33 W]
Having left Ayoun at three in the afternoon I didn’t think I would make it to Nioro that day. The man at the garage park said he could drive me to Kobenni for 1300UM or to Nioro for 4500UM. I thought those where too much but he wouldn’t budge. Only when the police officer which confirms the tickets was present did I learn those were the legitimate prices. However, I already bought my ticket to Kobenni, since I didn’t have enough UM on me to buy the Nioro ticket. He said he would take 11250 CFA for it; almost 30% mark-up on exchange rates! No thank you.
During the ride I figured out what should be the reasonable payment from Kobenni to Nioro, based on exchange rates; etc. Anywhere from 6000CFA to 8000CFA. Got transport to Nioro for 6000UM so I was happy.
At the Mauritanian-Mali border the guards wanted 1000UM to stamp exit-stamp our passport. I watched as everyone took out their wallets and paid. I took out mine and looked inside. I was down to 700UM. I handed it to him.
“1000UM!”
“700UM” I said pointing to the stack
“1000 UM !”
“700 UM. All gone! No more UM. It’s finished” and I opened up my wallet to reveal nothing. All my Mauritanian currency was gone, none to be saved and my last 700 of it went to pay a bribe. I was let off the hook and he stamped by passport.
I arrived in Nioro after sunset. My first night in Mali ended up being my worst to date. After walking around for a bit trying to find a hotel I managed to get a Malian to help me and we found out that was willing to give it to me for 5000CFA (~$8). I thought that was too much, but with hand gestures and showing me the room it became evident that no single room was available so if I wanted to have a room to myself I would have to pay for both beds.
The room that I had rented consisted of a bedroom and shower room. The beds were just cots with flimsy foam mattresses and a single bullet-holed blanket partially covering them. The floor hadn’t been swept in ages since when I put down my bag there was a puff of dust. In the shower room the manager showed me the shower did in fact have running water; but failed to mention that the toilet didn’t and the bowl itself was infested. The lights to the shower room didn’t work and when I turned on the lights to the bedroom I was electrocuted to the point of almost falling on my knees.
The springs to the beds were broke, so I put the two mattresses on the floor on top of each other and tried to sleep on them. A few things kept me up:
Mosquitos, which has I tried to swat them I unintentionally would get three or four in my hand.
A few cockroaches that scurried across the floor.
Something was biting me in the legs, despite sleeping in jeans.
Tried sleeping outside, but the guards were talking loudly with their motorcycles going back and forth and marijuana smell all over the place.
At three in the morning I left, leaving the money on the table in the room with the key holding it down. From three to seven I walked the streets trying to sleep in a corner, under a truck, and anywhere I could.
posted by Mike | 11:22 AM
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