Waiting for the train

All days look the same here and much is not happening, but still I will try to write a short piece for you. I found out on Monday that the train to Bamako only goes once a week, on Saturday, if it goes at all. I decided to wait and that is what I am doing. My days start with waking late, paying for another night at the hotel and walk to the market to buy a banana. I now have bought so many times one banana with the same guy that I not even have to ask for it, he just hands me the banana and I hand him the 100 CFA. This reminds me of my lunching routine at ABN when I went to Arie van der Raa for sandwiches. After my banana I try to think of something to do for the day. I have visited Ile de Gorree 3 times, whichs happens to have Dutch ties. The name comes from Goede Reede and in the harbour lies a (very) small boat donated by the Dutch embassy. It is not very strange then that I feel very at home at the small Island. It is very quiet -no cars- and a little bit less hot than the mainland. Marcel a promising young Dutch writer, according to his publisher Bezige Bij at least, rents a room up there. With him I visited some of Dakars bars or clubs. He also lend me a book and his Lonely Planet of West Africa. It is nice for a change to speak Dutch and to enjoy some of the nightlife, although I have nothing exiting to tell about.

I also have visited an Island in the north Ile de Ngor. On this Island I was invited by locals to join them in eating their just caught fish. The fish were prepared in a little restaurant at the beach and we ate with our right hand. Although I never used to like fish, I am really starting to enjoy it. After that we drank a cup of Senegalese tea, strong but nice. Earlier at the beach one of the kids/young guys tried to sell me slippers. I refused to buy anything with my standard reason that I do not have space in my backpack. We chatted a bit afterwards and he came back to me every time he had tried to sell slippers to newly arrived guests on the island. He asked me if I was married, I denied, but told him I would search for a wife after my trip. I promised him if I met a Dutch girl I did not want for myself, but was blond, rich, not taller than 1.75m, I would recommend him as a very good husband. This must have impressed him, because when I wanted to take the bus into the centre he handed me a little money. First time it happened to me in Africa someone gave me money instead of asking for it. So ladies take your chance if you qualify, the young guy s name is Ousmane, he is almost 19 and his email is Ousmane_@yahoo.fr. He is the nice lad in the picture.

Tomorrow, Friday, I am going to try to get my train ticket. Do some shopping for the train trip, it is scheduled for 2 days, but easily can take longer. Also have to by some good anti mosquito stuff. The one I have now does not impress me and what is worse it does not impress the mosquitos either. Do not know yet what I am going to do about the malaria risk yet.

It is a pitty that there is no embassy of Niger or Chad up here. I had plenty of time to get a visa. Entering Niger might be a hassle as there is no embassy of Niger in Mali either, well I will see how it goes. I think I am going to visit Abdul, he sits at the corner of the street of my hotel and sells delicious baguettes with meat, vegetables, spagetti and hot sauce. May be not healthy, but very tasty, sorry mam, I will make up for it tomorrow.