Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

[KQ420] NBO-EBB (1h 20m) Boeing 737-800 ETD: 8.30am (GMT + 3)  ETA:  9.50am (GMT + 3) Following the flight onboard Kenya Airways KQ513 from Mali, Bamako to Nairobi, Kenya, my BFF and I were headed to Entebbe, Uganda with an older Boeing 737-800 deployed for KQ420. For flight KQ411 in the opposite direction, we had a chance to fly with one of Kenya Airways' Embraer 190.

BKO-NBO (7h 10m) Boeing 737-800 ETD: 7.45pm (GMT)  ETA:  5.55pm (GMT + 3) In all honesty, during the planning stage, I had a very hard time deciding where to go next from Mali. I was considering Mauritania, Kenya and Uganda, but eventually decided on Uganda as I could secure a relatively cheaper non-direct flight ticket with Kenya Airways, given how expensive airfares are to and from Mali in general.

Near Sénou District, Bamako, Mali Named after the first president of Mali, Modibo Keita International Airport is the only international airport in the country. Formerly known as Bamako-Sénou International Airport when it was opened to air traffic in 1974, it's located approximately 15 km south of downtown Bamako.

Avenue de la Liberte, Bamako, Mali Daily: 6.30am - 5.30pm Located to the north of the  National Museum and the  National Park , National Zoo of Mali is home to over a hundred animal species. After undergoing extensive rehabilitation and expansion for 2 years since June 2011, the zoo opened its doors to the public again since its inauguration for the second time on 20 June 2013.

Avenue de la Liberte, Bamako, Mali Tue-Sun: 9.00am - 5.30pm National Museum of Mali is an archaeological and anthropological museum in the capital city with the mission of promoting national unity and honouring traditional Malian culture. It was once called Sudanese Museum from its inception in 1953 under French colonial rule till the independence of Mali in 1960.

Avenue de la Liberte, Bamako, Mali Mon-Fri: 10.00am - 9.00pm Sat-Sun: 10.00am - 10.00pm  Covering an area of 103 hectares within a larger protected forest reserve of approximately 2,100 hectares, National Park of Mali serves as the lungs of the capital city. The refurbished park was first opened to the public on the 50th anniversary of the independence of Mali in 2010.

Bamako, Mali As the capital city of Mali, Bamako is also the largest city in the country. Its name is derived from a word in Bambara, the national language of Mali, which literally means 'crocodile tail'. The official language, however, is French. Bamako has been continuously inhabited by human beings since the Palaeolithic era.

Avenue Al Quds, Bamako, Mali Azalai Hotels Group operates a few hotels in West Africa, three of which are in the capital city of Mali. My BFF and I made a decision to stay at Azalai Grand Hotel (4*), a secure hotel in the northern part of the city that's approximately 1 km away from National Park and National Museum of Mali.

[ET433] DOH-ADD (4h 40m) Boeing 737 MAX 8 ETD: 3.10am (GMT + 3)  ETA:  7.50am (GMT + 3) I'd like to express my deepest condolences to families of passengers of ET302 that crashed soon after departing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 11 March 2019 as empty coffins were buried yesterday for the funeral. Last December, my BFF and I flew with one of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft from Doha, Qatar to Addis Ababa.