We eat quickly and head back up the escarpment but by the time we reach the top, the heat overtakes us and water again becomes precious. Samba is patient as we stumble over the rough, rocky terrain. Finally we arrive at the village where our trek began and collapse in the shade. Lunch is essence of chicken with macaroni but appetites dim as we watch the unlucky chicken's decapitation. After our excursion to Dogon country, we returned to Mopti, my least favorite town in Mali.
Passenger boats ply the Niger River when it is high , going to Timbuktu and beyond.
The boats are not pretty but you will get a good look at life along the river banks. Since the water level is low, very low in fact, we rented the services of a pinasse which is similar to a gigantic, motorized canoe. It has several rows of seats and a reed mat overhead for shade. After coating ourselves with sun block, we push off into the slow-moving water. After the Sahara everyone has a great deal of respect for the sun.