Who: Karen Rothberg of Denver
Where: Getting ready for a camel ride into the Sahara to a Tuareg encampment in Timbuktu, Mali.
Best meal: Le Cheval Blanc Restaurant in the Le Kambary Hotel. All rooms are separate beehive-shaped stone domes. The outdoor buffet with local food, especially “Capitaine” (Huron Perch) and local beer is quite good. Musicians are singing and playing a few feet away.
Best deal: Whatever it costs is worth the trip with a local Tuareg guide into the desert at night. Sitting on a mat under a black (or moonlit) sky and bargaining for jewelry or leather pillows with these “blue men of the desert” is worth every moment! They are great businessmen; they make you feel like you robbed them, when, in fact, they made a handy profit. The experience is unforgettable.
Best time to go: Dry season (December-March). In January there was not a drop of moisture.
Best travel tip: Don’t leave home without malaria medication and any first-aid supplies you may need. Medical care is hours away; there is no “flight for life” available. Take almost anything you might think of for the locals – writing supplies and clothing are especially appreciated. A digital camera is a must. Children laugh, point and giggle; they think it’s magic.
