Normally I would have carried on, but I noticed one person covered in blood. I stopped and asked Martins to stay in the vehicle and keep the engine running. They were a party of six in a Toyota pick up. Either they saw our English flag and thought we were Red Cross or they just needed our help. The main two first aid kits were in Roberts and Michaels vehicles. But I had a bottle of detol some spare dressings and some wet wipes that Sam had given me the previous day.
The injured person had been flipped out the back of the truck at high speed and had lost a fare bit of skin, and really required stitches to his face. He had massive bruises on his head. After dressing the wounds, I filled a water bottle with dilute detol, gave them some Ibuprofen and some food for an old lady that was with them. Then we departed leaving them to carry on their journey.
As the sun started to set, we passed a village running close to the Niger, the road stopped and a sheer drop into the Niger lay ahead.
We reversed back the Niger on our right and a village dwelling on our left. The chief came out to greet us and said we could stay in his house. After alot of banter he let us put up our tent and camp outside his house.
After a pleasant evening with our hosts and a ten pm delivery of goods from a boat supplying the village. We were away early the next morning, and as we approached a blind bend swerved to avoid a new born goat.
The drive was just under 280 miles of sand, deep and pure Sahara undriven, small water crossings, but the whole journey was interesting as you could see a green and active belt of life both sides of the Niger river. One kilometre away from the river, desert that supported very little.
All animals enjoying the quiet of the Niger
As we approached Gao the roads started to appear....
[ 2 comments ] ( 42 views ) | permalink |
( 2.9 / 126 )
Calendar
