"Despite being the capital of one of the poorest countries in Africa, I found Bamoko a lively and quite pleasant city to walk around, even though it was very hot. I was rarely bothered by anyone, and though there were signs of poverty most people seemed fairly well fed and cheerful. I felt a lot safer and at ease here than I had in Banjul or Dakar. 
 
My first 3 nights were spent in a Youth Hostel, and though little more than indoor camping, my stay was made bearable by the fact I was able to join an interesting gathering of other european travellers, like I had met in St Louis. About 10 of us, including the French chaps and a German I had met on the train, all finished up in one large dormitory on the top floor, while the rest of the hostel was taken over by a number of local football teams. Despite the hostel's run down and tatty appearance, the fans, showers, lights and loos all still worked and the place was reasonably clean. It cost me £2 a night." - MH