Kayes, Mali

Yes, you've read it right. After reconciling ourselves to a failed mission, we've taken advantage of a wind of change and gone for a splash and dash through Mali. It was a difficult decision and one nearly revoked from the start when neither car would start. We had stayed in a town called Saly in Senegal A mechanic was summoned and it soon became apparent that Nick had put the air filters in the wrong way round. No change there then. We then motored our way to Tambacounda where we found a nice hotel. This morning we drove to the border not knowing what to expect. I admit to some metaphorical loosing of the lower bowel over entering Mali. The reality saw the imodium still untouched. The border was a nightmare. There was intense heat and we found ourselves queuing up with several hundred lorries.
What's more, we were caught in a sandstorm - it couldn't get much worse, one would think, but it did! Malvena went to investigate where the customs place was and ended up walking more than a mile. Some lorry drivers kindly made space for Nick and I to drive on to a service road and we made our way towards the front after locating Malvena. Eventually we got through with patience running on empty. At the first petrol station which had fuel we noticed Nick's car had a puncture. It's always Nick's! Immediately, people came to help and within an hour the tyre was fixed, the air filters cleaned and the tyre pressures checked. We then drove to Kayes where we have found a safe place to stay and keep the cars. The Mali people have come up trumps so far. Having passed through the windiest town in Europe we are now in the hottest town in Africa at the hottest time of the year. It reached 50 degrees this afternoon. Hot hot hot.