We didn't want to spend any time in Bamako so we drove straight through and up to the border with Mauritania at Nioro. As experienced travellers we knew that visas could easily be obtained at the border, but sadly a recent military coup has rendered this too dangerous for the Peoples Islamic Republic and so all entrants to the country have to get a visa from the Mauritanian Embassy in their country of exit, and NO EXCEPTIONS even with a sweetener.

Janet cried, cajoled pleaded, and begged but the Border police were having none of it, so it was 500k back to Bamako, and the Mauritanian Embassy. We have visited 33 countries and the very last in which we needed a visa was Mauritania, so the law of sod strikes again. Travelling with Roy and Michelle had made us expert bush campers and on the way to the border, and on the way back we had some magical evenings with only goats for company, and the occasional herdsman (who only want to nose around the van)

In Bamako we decided it was just too hot to sleep in the van again so we took a decent hotel right in the middle of Bamako's night club scene. Guildford it was not although we spent a very happy 2 hours in the Blah Blah Bar  after registering our visa requirements with the Mauritanian Embassy.

Visas will be ready in 3 days, but really Bamako is not the place for a long weekend if any one is thinking about it, and as soon as we get our visas we are going to do the long haul to Mauritania in one day.

Incidentally the night before we were due in Mauritania I had emptied the van of alcohol so with a pretty bad head I was not best pleased that they wouldn't even let us in let alone bother to search us for contraband.