DAY 2

Arriving in Segou, about 230 km from Bamako, I was anxious, no…desperate, to get off the sweltering bus. No breeze, no open windows; just an overcrowded hotbox. Local travelers boarded the bus with resigned looks of the discomfort that awaited. I could barely take stock of the myriad photographic opportunities on the bus as I was dripping wet and tried to distract myself by gazing out the window—my first glimpse of the infamous African brousse, the bush. Colours started changing from dull browns to shades of vivid ochres and terra cottas.

Eager to stretch my legs and recover from the insufferable hot bus experience, I headed to the Bani River, one of the two major lifelines to the town. Sunset brought a relaxed vibe to the town’s bustling fishing industry, and the light dimmed as I meandered through the winding streets. The honks of cars were thankfully absent, and boisterous whistles of cicadas filled the evening soundtrack. I was struck by the colours, textures and styles of the houses. The dry, crackled, rust-coloured houses provide stark contrast to the life-giving Bani river. I started shooting photos of houses’ exteriors, hoping that I would eventually have the chance to enter through one of the impressive wooden doors and see what life was like beyond. The red ochre colour of the houses, streets, and fields was enhanced by the lighting of sunset which I tried to capture in this photo.

DAY 3