106meters

Men Who Wear the Veil

During my recent trip to the Aïr Mountains of northern Niger, Tuareg musicians welcomed us to Timia, an isolated oasis town nestled between steep mountains. According to Tuareg custom, men begin “wearing the veil” at age 18 to protect themselves from evil djinns, or spirits, that enter the body through the mouth. Conversely, a woman’sContinue reading “Men Who Wear the Veil”

What to Do in Niamey, Niger

Niamey may not be full of world-famous monuments, but its appeal lies in opportunities to experience everyday life in Niger. If you are prepared to go beyond sipping beers on the terrace of the Grand Hotel, any of the following suggestions will lead you to discoveries that will only deepen your appreciation of this mellowContinue reading “What to Do in Niamey, Niger”

Street Vendors of Niamey

In Niamey, capital of Niger, commerce is king. Driving down the road you see everything from shoe-shine boys to strobe lit storefronts selling jeans and polo shirts. But the entrepreneurs who captivate me the most are the people who carry their products through the neighborhoods, crisscrossing the city’s sandy roads in the hopes of capitalizingContinue reading “Street Vendors of Niamey”

Fiction: Coming Home from the Coast

I can feel the rumble of the road along my back through the solid sacks of grain. Above me, a silvery morning sky. The flat, scrubby tops of the familiar plateaus, the Three Sisters, loom into view on my left. The cool brown water of the Niger slips by on the right. We’re almost toContinue reading “Fiction: Coming Home from the Coast”

The Travel Gene Theory

Itchy Feet Syndrome, my Grandfather calls it. A condition whose symptoms include, but are not limited to: a need to see what’s just beyond the horizon, an overactive imagination, and a certain inability to sit still. Although scientifically unconfirmed, it appears to be a side effect of the equally hypothetical Travel Gene. My family hasContinue reading “The Travel Gene Theory”