 | Mali Packing Lists | Tips 1 - 8 of 8 |  |
Popular Packing Lists | Miscellaneous Packing Lists Tips | All Tips (8) A sturdy piece of luggage. Day sack for trekking.
Walking boots, modest clothing for visiting Dogon Villages. Light, cotton clothing as it will be HOT!
Mosquito repellant, antimalaria tablets, a good first aid kit, all toiletries you may need, Wet-wipes are very useful. A good sunblock is essential.
As much film as you need, a plastic bag or waterproof housing to protect your camera from sand.
Most local operators provide tent and sleeping mat, but if you want a little more comfort, an inflatable mattress would be usefull. Sleeping bag and pillow.
Water carrier, ideally a 'bladder' with drinking hose. Leave a Comment |
I prefer reinforced cloth sided luggage (with sturdy wheels and collapsible handle) over backpacks. In Africa, there is plenty of help hoisting your belongings wherever you need them. Backpacks can't be easily locked, and wherever you go expect whatever luggage you choose to be put to the test. You'll want your collectibles bargained for to arrive back home undamaged.
Lonely Planet recommends light colors and thin fabrics. I prefer the sturdiness of Levis because I don't know what mess I'll sit on next. In Africa, men and women should generally dress in a conservative manner. You'll get used to the heat. Having sun glasses, and maybe a hat are pretty important. Also, having a collapsible umbrella or poncho for that unexpected sudden downpour of rain can be useful. We didn't carry any rain gear, and go soaked on the day we crossed the Ghana-Burkina border
Unless you are stingy with accomodations, a mesquito net is rarely needed as somewhere in town, AC will be available. Even so we still took a collapsible self supporting net. Don't forget the mosquito repellent. Consult your physician for full details.
I bought a Panasonic eWear photo printer which takes my camera's SD card and produces a passport sized photo on the spot. The ability to give away images in the field really helped me improve my people pictures, even if the photos are too small to keep. The printer is about the size of my iPod, maybe a little thicker, and has a good lithium battery. Stock up on the special ink cartridge and paper supplies.
If camping in Mali, you'll want the open air mosquito net. Sleeping outside can be risky though as a sudden thunderstorm can surprise one during the middle of the night.
Don't be afraid to load the knapsack up with electronics. We had no fear of robbers during our entire trip. Keep the packpack colors cool and without brandname badges though. If you take the public transportation, you may be carrying more in value than the annual salaries of the rest of the passengers combined. Leave a Comment |
 | |  |
We were extremely lucky to help a military post and the health center there with some cannulas! We donated about 5 of them - which was a year's supply for them!!! And our sick passenger was happy to get an infusion with a sterile cannula! Leave a Comment |
When heading north, you should make sure to take some sort of navigation system with you - at least a compass, because in the desert you don't find any readable signs! Leave a Comment |
Be careful packing your fragile items; the airport in Bamako really knows how to bash up some luggage. Here's a picture of my giraffe that they broke the nose off of, haha.
light clothing, try to cover up as much skin as possible at night so you don't get eaten by mosquitos. When you're travelling long distance make sure you bring a scarf or something to cover your face to filter the dust. Don't wear shorts (not culturally accepted, but they won't throw things at you if you wear them). ;)
lots of bug spray! The mosquitos at night are rediculous. Also if you have hemmerhoids, bring some ointment because it's very hard to find, even in Bamako.
Make sure you have a power converter because the wattage in Mali is different than it is in N. America. (I can't remember what it is off the top of my head...) Also make sure you keep your equipment in it's case when not in use and keep it clean as the great amount of dust in the air can damage the internal parts of your camera. Leave a Comment |
| | |
light long pants : avoid short pants wherever you're going. People won't say anything, but they'll stare at you.
A very good insect repellent Leave a Comment |
We took 4 large duffel bags and folded 2 up into the other 2. One bage was for our stuff, and the other was stuffed with bubble-wrap and scotch tape to protect the art we would buy. Gave us plenty of room to bring back things. There are always people to carry your bags. Porters are very plentiful in third-world countries.
Adventure Travel
Take a little spray bottle with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and citronella oil. It won't irritate the skin. There are all sorts of inset repellants out there but I prefer citronella because it is a natural essential oil and is not toxic. It will evaporate in 4 hours so use it repeatedly. Spray your clothes and your bed, windows, all over. We took a mosquito net but didn't use it. Had no problem with bugs.
Canon rebel with 28-200 zoom lens. Kodak 100 Royal Gold film 36 exposures. Leave a Comment |
Handlers tend to throw baggage around and leave them on trolleys in the open, so make sure bags are sturdy with padlocks, and tuck black sacks around the zip area if travelling in the rainy season.
Women:
Take some short sleeve tops and skirts or trousers. Trousers are OK in Bamako.
Malaria tablets; diarhoea tablets (e.g. Imodium);
Water purification tablets/iodine or even better a Katadyne water filter.
APS film is difficult to find and process.
Mosquito net ...get the rectangualr kind as a lot of places have ceiling fans and it is almost impossible to hang a single hook one up. Leave a Comment |
 | 1 |  |
|
|
on July 30, 2004
on December 14, 2006
on December 27, 2003
on August 26, 2002
on August 25, 2002
on August 26, 2002
on August 25, 2002
