Djinguereber Mosque, Timbuktu

Sankore Mosque Timbuktu

Mohammed standing at the door of the Sidi Yehia Mosque, Timbuktu

Tuareg Children standing outside their temporary camel hide shelters in Timbuktu.

Margaret, Halifa the lab technician, Kemo the soldier and Essa our driver, on our way back across the desert from Timbukto to Mopti.

This man rode out of the desert to have a drink at a small shelter we had stopped at on the way back from Timbuktu. Halifa bought us all a cold drink, including our friend with the camel.

One of the men with the mule train taking grain to Timbuktu to trade for slabs of Sahara rock salt. Allan gave him medicine.

Great Mosque in Djene, Mali. This is said to be the largest mud brick structure in the world and is built on the site of previous mosques which have been here for the last 600 years.

Margaret and Allan at the Mosque in Djene. This is an amazing town full of historical interest and certainly worth a visit.

The roof tops of the mud brick houses in Djene. In the background is the famous mosque. Margaret and Baboucarr admiring a three storey high toilet tower. When it is full liquid trickles out of the top vent. Then a hole is cut in the base and the manure dug out to fertilise the fields.

Succulent roast lamb being cooked over an open fire and seasoned with Seharan rock salt in Douentza, Mali. This was the jumping off point for the desert road to Timbuktu.

Are you sure this is the way? Margaret and Allan on the desert road to Timbuktu discussing the route. Actually the picture was taken by Essa our driver who know they way without difficulty. 

Desert landscape on the way from Douentza, near Mopti to Timbuktu.

Waiting for the ferry across the River Niger to Timbuktu Margaret was grabbed by these little girls who wanted to play games and hoped to get presents. 

How do you get two cows and three donkeys into a small boat. Pull hard with ropes and push from behind. River Niger near Timbuktu, Mali.

Sitting under a tree for three hours waiting for the bus to be repaired. This is when the extra water we always carry comes in handy.