When we eventually managed to get on our way we headed for Timbuktu, and many of you who do know Jamie well will know that he does not like to do things the easy way and the way everyone else would, so we naturally had to take the off road route which was not frequently travelled by many (actually no one except a few locals) on route to Timbuktu.  After travelling for close on 7 hours we decided we would need to try and find somewhere to stay for the evening so we stopped at one of the small villages on the way and in my very broken French asked if we could stay the evening.  Luckily for us we were speaking to the “chief” of the village and he was more than happy for us to stay the night which we later gathered was at his daughters house.  They were so welcoming and offered us a room, water to shower (wash) and made dinner for us that evening.  For the remainder of the afternoon we became the locals bush television as all the locals and the children came round to see our car and tent.  We also had a quick French/English lesson with all the children by pointing to the painted animals on the car and saying the English word which the repeated and then told us the French word.

The next morning we had an early start and managed to get to Timbuktu by early afternoon only to realise that one of the rubbers on the shocks had gone – well it would have to wait until tomorrow we needed to just relax for the rest of the day!!  The following day whilst trying to find a replacement rubber we managed to get in some of the sights as we walked through the town.  Jamie managed to get the shock fixed and hoped it would last the route back -  this time we were going to do the “normal” route. 

To leave Timbuktu you have to catch a ferry across the Niger River – we got there just before they began to load the ferry.  After 10 minutes we were on our way down the Niger River only to realise after a short while that we were drifting as the engine had stopped working. Eventually one of the other ferries came to tow us to our destination – thank goodness one of the 3 was in working order.

The road back was really no better, actually slightly worse but it was a great deal shorter.  We had to stop to fix a puncture and then once arriving at Douentza where gravel meets tar road we realised that the rubber had gone again.  So it was time to find a mechanic and a new rubber which we did in record time and even managed to have the punctured tube and tyre repaired.  Within an hour or so we were on our way to Mopti where we would spend the night before heading to Dogon Country.

At least we can say we have been, all the years when growing up as kids we would ask my Dad where we were going for our holiday each year and his reply “Timbuktu” – well now I am glad we actually did not go there as it really is in the middle of nowhere and it is all just about a name.