TR: Burkina Faso

Hot. Burkina Faso is hot. Also, the money is weird, the language is unintelligible, and the computer keyboards are laid out funny. Fortunately, I chose a time of year when it seldom gets over 95 (sez the Lonely Planet), so I stand a good chance of at least short-term survival. Besides, it's a "dry" heat, unlike Ghana; which was, need I say, hot. Brutally hot. All day and all night alike hot. <br><br>Oh, and the skiing truly sucks. I do have faint hopes for the dunes and mountains on the far side of Agaddez (Niger), where I am headed by the slowest possible road transport tomorrow.<br><br>Please save me some skiing, unlike the time last year I went to Chiapas and returned to an absolute absence of snow.<br><br>my sincere thanks and well wishes, <br><br>Mark

Having spent 4 year of my life living in West Africa building a dam and irrigation scheme in the Sahal region of Northern Nigeria I know what you are experiencing.<br>There is lots of snow here and there should be plenty left for an excellent spring skiing season.<br><br>Try the bush meat kabobs and drink lots of beer. It kills the intensital bugs. Don't get malaria, I did from not taking my tablets and it was the sickest I have ever been in my life. I would have shot myself if I could have held a gun. <br>

No complaining about no snow after the overdose of Powder you got at Fairy Meadows. <br><br>When you coming back???<br><br>Gregg

Don't get malaria, I did from not taking my tablets and it was the sickest I have ever been  in my life. I would have shot myself if I could have held a gun. <br>

<br><br>Doing my best to follow your kind advice. Malaria I have had twice, and am much hoping to evade this time around. Worst case of appocolyptic hallucinations ever...<br><br>Back in a few weeks. I'm not accepting complaints from municipal employees, especially those with tenure.<br><br>Tomorrow: the Air Mountains, Niger (Google is your friend).

Markharf, you are teminally weird! We had a wonderful Saturday in what has come to be called "The Harf Chutes". They are full to the brim and awaiting your return.

Markharf, you are teminally weird! We had a wonderful Saturday in what has come to be called "The Harf Chutes". They are full to the brim and awaiting your return.

<br><br>Eh, I hear there's been too much snow to go skiing recently anyway. I had a blast trying to keep up with two Tauregs and a single camel somewhere east of Agadez (everyone should try this just once: they look positively relaxed heading uphill in 100+ degree heat on a bad trail....at 1500 to 1800 vertical feet per hour....without stopping). How often do you get to do such things in a single lifetime? Powder, on the other hand, happens all the time. At least I hope that's true, starting this weekend.<br><br>I'm leaving Accra (where, I've got to admit, it no longer feels as hot as it did a couple of weeks ago before I went for my little trek through the Sahara) tonight and will be home and back to work in a mere 24 hours of cramped airline seating and layovers in pathetically inadequate airports. But I'm already plotting a return trip, maybe involving going overland through Niger into Chad, then down through Cameroun. Feel free to join me, Tim. <br><br>enjoy,<br><br>Mark