16th November - departure North

8am
On our return from lunch yesterday, Jonny embarked on a clutch rebuild - so as to be ready for the 6am departure today. Jonny Mark and Ian worked on into the night with reassembly by head torch, but when fired up the car was found to have a fractured oil pipe. With this repaired, reassembled but not tested we all went to bed, alarms set, but no idea whether we'd be leaving as planned. Jonny and Diana had said that if necessary they'd follow on behind.

This morning all awake, no sign of Jonny at 6am, and news of a new plan formed in the night: No split of the team, leave later, giving Jonny time to check over the car. This would squeeze my time in Timbuktu so that I'd hardly see it in daylight. So my new plan is: continue with the group, go to Djenné - en route to Timbuktu - where there is a mud mosque; the largest mud structure in the world, and more beautiful if less iconic than Timbuktu. Then I can fly home from Mopti on Friday/Saturday and the others continue to Timbuktu without any time pressure. This plan was of course not formed without about 5 alternative scenarios being considered, and I'll be surprised if it lasts more than a day or so.
While deliberations under way, Rosie and Tom (Jonny's son) resorted to playing Buzz Lightyear Operation.Oil pipe proved to be still not oiltight, but Ian soldered it in situ and it now seems to be holding.
8am now and someone is currently searching Bamako for 5 litres of suitable oil for him. Revised departure time of 9am - if everything's okay with Jonny's car by then.

By text 8:51am
Jonny's car now a runner. Should get away by 9. Most likely now that we will go to Djenne to see the mud mosque - more beautiful, but less iconic than Timbuktu.


Rosie with one of the team Gollies made by Oliver's business as a special commemoration of the trip






By text 16:43pm
It was nearly noon when we finally got moving - me in the truck with Matt and Rosie, having handed over the Leaf-Jag to Rollo with a page of notes.

Tomorrow is the start of Tabaski, a festival for which each family buys the largest sheep they can afford. They then truss it up and explore all forms of sheep transport - tops of buses and trucks, backs of pushbikes and across the lap on motorbikes before killing and eating it.

Passed through several mud hut villages thronged with sheep while Rosie speculated whether we could construct a spit and join in. Lunch stop under trees for sandwiches provided by the Sleeping Camel - Matt's Auberge. Ian asked if I'd like to swap seats to the Jeep and get some air while he got some sleep.

By text - 20:30
The afternoon in the Jeep was fun - a nice change and very attractive green countryside with smiling waving people, although I rudely fell asleep. Matt found us a very pleasent open spot for bush camping, where a campfire and paelia were soon under way. All of us are exhausted after our various Bamako exertions, and are happy to be in bed by 8:30pm.




Breakfast will be at 7 and off soon after, although Jonny warns of imperative engineering.