Random thoughts
by Dr A Q Khan

While we were studying geography at school, I came across two names that always fascinated me, and it almost became an obsession with me to see them one day. The two places of my dreams were Timbuktu in Mali (Africa) and Lhasa in Tibet (China). Timbuktu, we learnt, was a city in the middle of nowhere and Lhasa was on top of the world. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit both places and I would like to share some of the thrill of the experiences of visiting Timbuktu. Parts I and II will deal with some aspects of the geographic and historical backgrounds of the area, Part III will deal with the fascinating city of Timbuktu itself and Part IV will deal with our personal experiences there.

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