04-Apr-2008 -- This is the 17^th of a series of 83 confluence visits during our voyage from Nigeria to Europe and back to Nigeria around the entire African continent. It all started on 28 January at 11N 5E.

Story continues from 12N 2W.

Yesterday we had crossed the border into Mali traveling to Sikasso to get the last stamp for our Laissez-passer. At noon the outside temperature was around 42°C. To find the police headquarters and to find out of town again, we asked an elderly gentleman who promptly jumped on his motorbike and showed us the way around and out of town in the direction of Koutiala.

Somewhere on this road we turned off into the bush and set up our camp for the night. The next morning we continued. At Sangasso, the first town on the way, was market day. We spent some time there to buy some groceries and continued to Koutiala and then took the road towards San. 50 km before San is the village Nénesso. At Nénesso we turned off and tried to find the way to the Confluence; after several attempts we found a path, which lead us closer to the Confluence.

It was around noon and the outside temperature was again 42°C and all the inhabitants of the villages where hiding from the sun and to be seen nowhere around. It was not possible to ask where this little path was leading to in the end. However on it we managed to get as close as 250 meters to the Confluence. After completing all the necessary documentation, we returned to the main road.

It was on this path where I did not see the remains of a cut-off tree and damaged our rear tyre. After half an hour the repair was completed and we continued to the main road, drove for a while and set up our camp for the night. It was a nice place. The morning at 6:30 we got very surprised when we found out that the outside temperature had dropped to 12°C. Due to the low temperature we had a very revitalising sleep in our sleeping bags. After the breakfast we continued our journey to Mopti.

Continued at 15N 3W.