much safer by daylight

MOPTI xxxIt was very dark when the maniac bashay driver finally arrived in Mopti. xI never like to arrive in a strange city at night when I have no clue where I'm supposed to go. xThis time was no exception. Someone directed me down a dark alley to get to the Peace Corps Guest House.x I really didn't want to go down a dark alley.x I pulled out my trusty Swiss army knife and went.x I couldn't find the place.x I returned and the guy directed me back the dark alley to the same place where I had been.x In a dark entrance, up some long stairs, was the guest house. I was safe.x

When I hooked back up with Amanda and Debbie, we took a ride on a pirogue (boat) along the Niger river, another one of those rivers that you looked at but didn't touch -- unless you wanted river blindness as a souvenir. xIt was a beautiful, relaxing ride to a village a short distance from Mopti. xThe little boy who took the three of us worked his buns off.x

The pirogue ride was nice and long -- almost too long -- as my stomach began to rumble.x I got home just in time.V (That doesn't always happen when you travel to some of the places I go.) xLater, we walked to the waterfront for a sunset.x We had marketed some and barely got to the river in time to take pictures.