Whole lotta goat. In Senegal.
I felt relaxed in the daylight hours, unaware that by nightfall i would be stranded in the Sahara, see a man eat raw brains and witness a goats balls be pierced with a twig.
After having a bad time in Bamako i was disheartened and just wanted to get out of there. Due to my previous problems with trying to get a visa for Mauritania i decided on something drastic. I would get to the airport, get some money wired and fly to Morocco.
Things didnt look got as the flights would cost in and around 900 euro. The only other thing i could think of was getting the express train to Dakar, which would take me on a wide detour of my origanal route.
After sitting around for hours watching wrestling at the airport, i haled a cab.
Next morning i make my way to the bus depot in high spirits.. today i would leave bamako!! A huge crowd had gathered around the Kingui ( pronounced Kinky) bus i was to board. As the process of tying bags of maze and all the luggage took place the names were called of all the passengers.. ''GLEN ROONEY'' the driver called as everyone turned to look at the pale man.
I sensed fault with our kinky bus as she struggled to get up the 8 inch exit ramp of the depot, 3 hours late. Eventually we made it out and slowly made our way through Bamako rush hour traffic and into the country side.
As the sun began to set we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. Red dust as far as you could see in any direction, when all of a sudden the kinky bus comes to an abrupt stop. Since everyone else mostly spoke French, i was a little confused about what was happening. We all got of the bus and stood around in the evening sun. Muslims began praying and the only sound to be heard was the drivers attempts at repair.
One man who did speak english told me that its not uncommon to be stuck for two or three days.......... you simply have to wait for help to pass by.
Making the best of the sittuation a group of people started to play music on a guitar and improv drums out of over turned mixing bowls. Resting up against a tree, listening to them play and with the evening sun covering me like a blanket, i would have been quite happy to be stuck there for three days.
Night fell and people started to worry about food as all that was around were some crackers and rotting fruit.
By the grace of Jovi a nomad happened to be walking by with some of his goats. Somebody got to thinking that if we all pitched in we could buy one of these and ward off our hunger. 3 men from our group went around all the goats feeling for meat and lifting them while others went looking for fire wood, all the while i was just sitting on the road taking it all in.
Nothing was going to waste, the skin was left to dry over the fire as the first piece of meat was handed out.
We then went on to the choice cuts, covered in salt and pepper, which was the tastiest meat i have ever had the pleasure of eating. Feeling satisfied i lay on the road quite content again, looking at the head on the fire and the skewered testicles being licked by the flames... One hungry fellow saw his chance and took the head out of the fire. Using his machete he sliced the head vertically right the way through and began scooping out the brains with his hands and eating them, pink bits and all.
After many more hours a packed old bus came passing by, goats tied to the roof and doors falling offand seats if your lucky.
Like a captain of a sinking ship the driver stayed behind with his kinky bus.........
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