Mali, Siena and London

The year has continued at the same giddy pace it started with... I seem to have spent most of my time since November last year packing and unpacking, while organizing the next journey. I am not complaining, you understand, but a little tired... looking forward to Siena now, and finally beginning my life in my new flat, after a year and a half  in my new city.

After the difficult trip to Sweden to help my mother, I went straight on to Mali more or less. A successful trip that took me and Columba, my friend and boss, all the way to Djenne this time. The security situation was considered to have improved, and after a long and very difficult rainy season with unprecedented flooding, the roads were once again open and we were able to enjoy a couple of days in Djenne, where everything seemed just like it used to. 'My son' Lassie, Keita's second son, here below with his two 'mothers' in Segou, came with us to Djenne. We also met with the cataract team again, who were there for the tenth year running, doing their 150 operations, still sponsored by Pelle and Nanni.

The library work continues, although a question mark now hangs over it- how long can it go on? will Babou and the library team continue finding enough manuscripts|? Was this perhaps my last trip to Djenne ? There were feelings of nostalgia and foreboding on the long journey back down to Bamako again, as I saw the familiar landscape pass by...

Back in Siena they work had progressed, and I insisted on moving in, finally, on my birthday, although it is hardly finished. I have only a mattress on the floor in my room, (behind the blue plastic sheeting on picture below) and my bathroom is finished, but has no hot water. The work continues. 

On my birthday, at the end of my birthday party, this jolly crew of friends helped me carry my suitcases and bags from Hettie's where I have lived for 6 months, to my new home, and I moved in!

The next day was a party occasion for the ONDA Contrada, as it celebrated its patron saint, San Giuseppe, with a street party all down the Via Giovanni Dupre,  This was when I became a officially signed up member of ONDA- an Ondaiola!

 And after all that excitement I took off the following morning to London, where I am setting everything up to make my Ladbroke Grove flat an Airbnb- with a management company which will take care of everything- cleaning, bookings, marketing etc etc...

And then, next week- back to Siena, where I will stay, inchallah for quite some time to come!