Dispatches from the Western Sahara

The entrance to Tan Tan

With a run of 788Km that puts most of Western Sahara behind me and also makes to longest run of the trip so far… Intent on not only getting through the border in the morning but also running through most of Mauritamtia, I needed to get fairly close to the border before I stopped for the night, The wind has been blowing really strongly all day and as you might guess, right where I didn’t want it, in my face… On the odd occasions when the road swung around a bit it was a great ride, but for most of the day it was a case of hang on and grit your teeth!

Last night was spent at the wonderful Camping de Bedouin camp site just above Laayoune which Debs found for us in Camping Maroc on our return trip last year. It really is quite a special place. To get there you turn right off of the main road along 4.5Km of piste which winds it’s way across the desert to end up overlooking a dry salt lake. 100metres from the site is also a calcified waterfall which is quite spectacular. Already on site were Tils and Carmen from Austria in a wonderfully converted old Mercedes truck with an ex-military pod on the back. 

I’m nor sure how long they had been on the road but the list of African countries they had visited was very impressive; and also Alain, a Frenchman of even greater vintage than I, traveling alone with his dog in a 4.2lt V8 Lancruiser prepped to  a standard that would put many a few Dakar Rally entrants to shame. It was encouraging to see that neither his age nor diminutive stature in any way dented his enthusiasm for travelling the Pistes of Morocco, or anywhere else he

fancies by the sound of it. The evening spent in the company of these incredible people brought home to me why it is that I enjoy travel so much. As I said the other day, sharing a journey with someone special makes all the difference to a trip. Meeting special people on the way also adds an incalculable aspect to life on the road. The one thing all these people share is a zest and an enthusiasm for life which is most definitely contagious! Whilst Alain was on his way almost before I had finished breakfast, Tils and Carmen were staying put today and oh how I would have loved to tarry a whilst to listen to some more of their adventures… but the road was calling. Anita has a last minute change of plane and is even now probably enjoying dinner at Luigi’s in the company of the new CEO from Bansang, Baba Jeng, so having completed what I wanted to do in Morocco it is time to get my skates on and see what Morro has been up to in my absence. I only hope he has done me proud and the results satisfy “The Boss” !

So where am I tonight I hear you shout! Well, I’m in the Hotel Barbas in a tiny little place that isn’t even marked on any of my maps but is about 150Km short of the Mauritanian border. As I said at the start the wind is howling and a full blown sand storm was raging as I pulled in. It seems to be abating a little now but I was a little afraid of being whisked up in the air on the wind and hang-gliding out to sea still wrapped in my tent so took the soft option; at 200 Dirams or about £18 it seemed a good option. I’ve just stuffed myself on Chicken Tagine (at £3.00) and I’m about to order a coffee as no alcohol is on offer… Drat!

It also works out well being in a hotel for the night as I’m after a really early start tomorrow to get through the border ,and if that goes OK it will be another long day riding through most of Mauritania. Look out Bansang, I’m on my way!