Before you go
Dangers
Travelling develops human instinct, awareness and mental strategy and efficiency, but everywhere in the world while travelling, we should pay attention to what is surrounding us, even at home.
Bamako is known for some pickpockets and some guys passing on a motorcycle pushing your bag or camera away.
Once near Bamako city museum, 3 guys came and spoke with me and one of them while establishing eye contact and with a normal dialogue had is left hand opening my camera bag, trying to take it away from right in front of my eyes, I mean, less than 1 metre away from me. I just pushed him away and ask what he wanted.
Avoid things that wouldn’t be done at home and you’ll be fine. Like, would you live your cell-phone inside your car at sight in Europe? Would you go and smoke weed to someone’s house after a 5 minute meeting on a street? I made my point.
Health Concerns
Another thing is about health. Africa is a different continent, and its temperature and climate plus health conditions prospect the appearance and growth of certain diseases.
Please beware and pay attention to:
- AIDS
- Malaria
- Yellow Fever
Aids
AIDS is well known to everyone. As you know, Africa has the highest AIDS rate in the world. Pay attention to several matters as: exposing your tooth brush (yes somebody else can use it), unprotected sexual relations and used medical instruments.
Malaria
Malaria is thought to be one of the oldest infectious diseases, evolving around 10,000 years ago. I know many people that end up taking the Malaria pills.
The Malaria prophylaxis is the prevention of malaria and although you can’t really be sure that you get infected, you should never stop taking the pills.
The dilemma here is that many people that take the pills also get Malaria, so, other people disagree that either you take it or not, you can’t get Malaria. The point here is that there are 2 types of this disease, and the cerebral Malaria is when the parasite reaches your brain, and the body can actually fight it better if under Malaria prophylaxis.
I wasn’t really keen on taking pills, and I actually missed some during my first trips to West Africa back in 2003, until, a friend of mine died in Ghana due to not taking the proper Malaria medication.
Travellers to infected areas are advised to wear long clothes that cover as much of the skin as possible. Exposed parts of the body should be sprayed with insect repellent especially during your sleep along with insecticide-impregnated anti-mosquitoes bed nets should be used for best results.
The ABCD of malaria prevention are:
Awareness of risk;
Bite prevention (clothes, spray, bed nets);
Chemoprophylaxis;
A rapid Diagnosis and treatment.
Please read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria_prophylaxis
http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/malaria.htm
http://www.healinghands-gambia.org/volunteers/health-care/
Yellow Fever
A yellow-fever vaccination certificate is necessary for travellers coming from an infected area. So, get the vaccine done and bring your certificate along with you.
The Yellow Fever is an acute viral disease but with easy prevention as you can easily get the vaccine.
Please read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_fever
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs100/en/
Visas
Visas are required to all nationalities except French nationals.
Visas can be easily done at any Mali embassy (around 45 Euros) or, can be made at the airport at arrival (15.2 Euros) or at the border with a later easy free of charge visa extension at the immigration office.
Up to this date and personally tested (December 2008), Visas to Mali can be acquired at Bamako Senou International Airport main building after coming out of the plane; you have a small exchange office and a visa office on the left side.
