I traveled north into Gao on an overnight bus to celebrate Haloween a few weeks back and it rocked. On Novenber 1st my friends and I hopped in a small pirogue that barely floated (it's many leakes were patched before my eyes) and rode 2 hours down/across the niger against the current through rice paddies until we came to the Rose Dune. The Rose Dune is immense and rises from the banks of the Niger; it is a mini desert in the middle of the Sahelian region. As the sun was setting, we hiked up the dune, and, as temptation proved too strong, we rolled down losing everything in our pockets. It was just like going to Sandy Neck with Grandpa when I was little... only 10 times bigger and in Africa! The first picture is a view from my seat in the Pirogue and you can see a thin pathway leading through a rice field in the middle of the Niger.

This following picture is of the dune from the river. Sadly a picture just does not do justice to the immensity and beauty that the dune projects when you are seeing it for real. To the top, it's about a 20 minute walk from the banks of the river, which by no means is anything extensive, but the view is awesome from there. On one side is the Niger with the shores of Gao lighting upon the opposite bank. The other side stretches endlessly in a mix of Sahelian/Saharan landscape; the sandy ground cover is pocked with low, tough shrubs and small rising dunes.

Here I am looking uber-Peace Corps with my jeans rolled up, scruffy face, shoeless and the ever present Nalgene dangling from my pants.

I finally got a dog and his name is Rufus! Here he is playing with his favorite toy. It's really just a bunch of rags that I tied together, but he loves to rip it apart. Now I just need to teach him how to play fetch. Any advice on how to effectively train a dog? I am desperately trying to westernize him and it is working to an extent, but it's a lot of work. Believe me, I have plenty of time, though! He pretty much eats anything I give him... even beans! I didn't think that one would go over well, but he really enjoys them. He jumped out of the basket I tied to my bike the other day and scraped himself up badly, but he is healing and there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage; he's a dumb dog, but at least he's tough. Jumping from a moving bike at about 25km/h!

Thanksgiving was good and thanks to everyone I was able to speak to on the phone last night. That was truely awesome and it really made my night. I just wish I could have been there with all of you! Everyone sounds like they are doing really well staying healthy and that is all I can really hope for. I actually had an America-ish meal of duck, pork, cranberry sauce, pasta salad and sangria and it rocked so much. I am still full almost 24 hours later. My body was definitely not used to the richness of the food, but it was so worth it!

I'll hopefully be able to update this blog around Christmas if not sooner. I am going on a hiking trip next to Douentza in about 2 weeks and will get some really good photos. I have plans to go rock climbing in Hombori at some point in the near future. Christmas will most likely be spent in Dogon country, which definitely entails hiking. The next month should be filled with these types of fun activities. And, this week I am going to see about teaching english in the village next to mine. Finally.... real work to do woohoo!