We had been driving non stop from Paris, towns have been vanishing away as we bearly stopped for gas food and sleep, Montpellier, Valencia, Gibraltar, Fès, Oujda, Béchar, and the desert, THE desert, the Sahara, we were nailed by the heat of August. We took the Tanezrouft track, the one that goes down along Mauritania, scattered with sanded up rusty cars. Then we drove through Mali, miraculously it had been raining and every drop turned the desert light green with amazing flowers. It was so hot. 
On est arrivé à We arrived in Gao and went straight to the Hotel de l’Atlantide, one of the oldest hotel in this part of Africa. The thickness of its walls and the fans provided us with less heat than outside. We were warmly welcomed, Mario, was doing the trip several times a year. As we were drinking at the bar they told us that the Super Biton was playing tonight. After a cool shower we went to the dinig room where we had a massive “Capitan” fished from the river soecialy for us. What a change, we had canned food and warm water for over two weeks, this was paradise! 
At night we went to the gig and danced like crazies. The next day once we rested, we took offby the dirt road along the river Niger, we saw some girafes, millions of birds. But we were expected in Lome Togo, by the end of the week. SOmetimes at night I listen to the Super Bitonand I remember how much fun I had in Mali…in 87..
Alors ça… c’est rudement beau ! 5 you, bro !