Garbage Pickup Service

We have two 1/3rd 55 gallon metal barrels that we put our trash in. If the goats don't eat everything in it first, it gets picked up by one of two types of transport: tractor and trailer as shown and/or donkey and trailer.

Where does it go from there? It goes to the field out by Meteo Mali (the one that has corn in it now- SEE PREVIOUS POSTING). When the field is full of crops they dump it on the side, but when the field had no crops they spread it out. At planting time they clean up the piles by hand and burn what isn't bio-degradable. Its pretty gross, yet amazing how the crops fill in among the trash.

Side note: Before the rainy season and before they planted we got frequent dust storms. These dust storms would pick up the trash in the fields and we would have a blizzard of black garbage bags! At first we thought it was a flock of crows...

A new appreciation for the REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE program and PLEASE always ask for PAPER!

Aircraft Refueling

After each flight we pull up to a 'gate' and get fuel. As you can see we do not get a fuel truck. The system is set up for single point fueling and they really only cater to the airlines. There are 7 gates with a fuel access point(s) at each one. We park with the fuel access point to our left. Since they are not flush with the ramp we avoid taxing over them. The fuelers plug in one end of their hose to the ground. It then goes into the 'contraption' behind the Massey Ferguson where it is filtered, tested, etc. Then they fill our airplane just like normal. Of course when they are finished, then they give me the tester and ask if the fuel is ok!

Water Pressure

Many people here have to add barrels to their roofs just like this one. There is not much water pressure here. They fill up and help push the hot water out of the heater. Unfortunately we don't have one, so sometimes we have to wait until late evening or early morning to shower when the pressure is at its peak. We have been really lucky and have not found the need for a barrel yet...

The Waterfall Trip: PART II

We finally arrived at the waterfall, but not before we passed this boy and his cattle. Several people swim in the waterfall and pool below it. Jody and I opted not to swim on this day, but we did hike around the rocks. Hopefully we make it back for another visit before we leave…

The Waterfall Trip: PART I

Rumor has it that gorgeous waterfalls can be found near Bamako…So we traded in our mini-van for a 4x4 Toyota Landcruiser and headed out. We departed Bamako and traveled west for the town of Siby (actually we would consider it a small village). The route then took us NW into the hills between Guinea and Mali.

On the way we saw a project forest, rock cliffs, then actual forest, a waterfall (not the intended one), farm fields, and wetlands filled with bamboo. Some of the plants we saw included mango trees, walnut trees, lemon/lime trees, fields of peanuts and corn, and lots of palms.

The road was not maintained and we encountered a few streams that we had to cross. We didn’t see very many animals, but a lot of neat birds (to bad they fly too fast for pictures).

Since we took so many pictures this will be a two part post, Enjoy!