Another addition to the dream itinerary of festivals and conferences: Mali's Festival au Desert. Held deep in the Sahara, the Festival showcases Tuareg music and culture, with guests - like Ali Farka Touré, Baba Salah and Tinariwen - from the rest of Mali, other African nations, and France. A wild, welcoming, spare musical and cultural festival, attendees describe it as something like a Fourth World Burning Man. There's also a fabulous CD available.