First impression ... or immersion?!

Flying first class from Paris to Bamako with Air France was quite an experience. To give you an idea, this was on the menu:

L’amuse-bouche: Salmon tortilla

Gourmet Appetizer: Foie gras with figs, salmon roulade Florentine (photo)

Main course: Sautéed veal with cumin cream sauce

Dessert trio: pear shortbread, dark chocolate mousse, raspberry almond cookie

And champagne ‘à volonté’!

The TV screen with the itinerary during our flight from Paris to Bamako mesmerized me with all the strange names of places and the landing at Bamako had also a very exotic flavour when our plain pulled in next to an Air Burkina airplane. The size of the airport is more like the old Tirana airport (tiny) and guess what; passengers just descent the plain and walk to the building, in-between all the other plains (some with turning engines) and kerosene tankers. 

The name Bamako comes from the Bambara word meaning "crocodile river".

The ‘health officials’ were the first who we came across, asking for our yellow fewer vaccination cards. Mine from Tirana they declared “pas bon”, not good, bur I had the feeling if I would just continue walking trough, they wouldn’t stop me, it would complicate their work as well so they just turned to the next person and forgot about me.

The only word that popped up in my mind when I saw the police control and what was waiting for us behind it was “quelle bordelle”, what a mess…

Traffic in Bamako

Luckily Mousa, my husband's future assistant, picked us out from the crowd right away (was not too difficult, he just had to listen to the protesting miaus from our cats) and thanks to him the custom control and getting to the car went quite smoothly.

On our way to our new home everything was pitch-dark (not only the night, but everything else as well). It is the rainy season so the streets are very muddy (only 30% of the roads are paved in Bamako) and getting out of the car in front of our house was already an adventure.

The house was one big disappointment. Yes, there are 8 rooms… yes there are 6 bathrooms, but in what a bad condition! The house has not been opened for more than 1 month nor has been cleaned during this period. Not one single door is closing properly and once we finally managed to unlock the entrance door, there was no way to lock it again. So, for 48 our house it stayed open for anybody. (Just for your information, the new locks are working fine now. J)

Once inside, could only think of a title of one movie “The Adams family”. The house gave the same impression as the one from this particular film, only the characters were missing.

On the streets of Bamako

But the big disappointment still had to come; not one single remote control (of about 10 air conditionings) was to be found.  It was about 35 C° in the rooms but because we couldn’t check if the mosquito nets on the windows are intact (too dark in the rooms for that), we couldn’t even open the windows.

I was so jealous of my cats. Of course they detested every minute of the trip to Mali, but once out of the cage, they were asking for food and water and with much confidence they started exploring the house.  I bought a specific “Feliway” spray for cats that I supposed to spray around to make them comfortable but I was the one who would have needed it more.

Finally after a half an hour of looking, found and installed the mosquito nets above the bed, climbed under and hoped to fall a sleep very fast and to wake up in the morning realizing … that last evening was just a very bad dream.  

With the first light we woke up with an ear-splitting noise coming from outside, (later became clear that a big colorful bird was the guilty one) and when I opened my eyes a pair of tiny eyes were looking back at me.  Only a few cm from my face, some kind of a gecko was having a rest on my Kindle. Welcome to Africa!

On the streets of Bamako

I never lived in a place before, where you suppose to have a full time housekeeper, a full time chef (food-preparer) and a full time driver so the idea of it made me a bit uncomfortable, but after only 3 days I realised that I do really need them.  

We are still looking for the “full time chef”, the one that we supposed to take over from the predecessor, gave her demission even before we arrived. The reason was that we didn’t have children so she moved to a family with 3 children.  (And after passing by some markets and not recognising anything that was for sale, we do desperately looking for a chef.)

The housekeeper Badia swabbed the floor in the whole house in the morning but in the evening the floor was as dusty as if it has never been cleaned. The red sandy dust is constantly everywhere…

Badia, our housekeeper

As for the driver…. The traffic is incredible, one big chaos and there are so many things to see and to absorb that driving would be really difficult, at least at the beginning. Not to mention that after 3 days, I’m still not able to find my way back from point A to B (until Mali, I considered myself good in finding directions, but not anymore…). After Tirana, Bamako seams to be a huge city. There are about 2 million people living in the capital, it is estimated as the fastest growing city in Africa and the 6^th fastest in the world. There are hundreds and hundreds of muddy streets witch for the moment, I’m incapable to distinguish.

I have an other ‘distinguishing’ problem as well. For example today, there were 4 different groups of people working in our house. There were 2 people for the installation of the satellite, 2 for the Internet connection, 1 person for the air-conditioning and 1 locksmith. Each time when I came across one of them in the house, even if they presented themselves when they arrived, I had no idea to which group they belonged. It sound stupid, but to me, they all look the same.

Right now, for the first time in 75 hours after our arrival, I’m feeling quite satisfied with our achievement; air conditioning - check, Internet connection – check, new TV – check, satellite – check, clean swimming pool – check.

And there is something else rather satisfying; after 75 hours in Mali, so far no diarrhea !!! All the toilet paper and books that I have already prepared in the bathroom (in case of having to spend long moments at that place) have not yet been useful.  


And one last impression; the Malian people are extremely friendly !!!