We arrived here yesterday around 1pm and returned to the Auberge Menata. Unfortunately there was no wifi until this morning so were unable to read emails until now. Thank you Ian and Ellen for your replies. We intend to leave today for the border but hope to get time to visit the fishing port before we leave.
The morning we left Bamako we walked up to the local bank for some cash and spotted a European hairdressers on the way back, so Chris now has a very smart haircut by Joseph, the Lebanese. We had been given a time to collect our extended Mali visas from the Police Station and that was not until 3pm. However we were already to leave at 11.30 so Chris thought we would call in before they closed for lunch at 12.00 and they had them ready. This meant we were able to make good progress and were at Diema at 6pm, deciding to drive straight through and not stop to revisit Pam. We found an ideal track off into the bush at 6.30 and Chris immediately set to gathering wood and stones to make a fire. He soon had it hot enough to cook a delicious meal. We had a lovely quiet cool night, no bats, roosters, call to prayer or even traffic noise as there was little about.
We filled up on cheap Mali diesel at Nioro de Sahel, a real bustling frontier town and found the roads very good, as reported, on the Mauritanian side for some considerable distance and were able to make good speed. We knew there was to be a bad patch and eventually hit this - broken tar, pot holes and dirt track so back to crawling speed and dust. We had intended to find another bush camping place, but just before 6pm we came to what was labelled on Trax4Africa as a bus station. This turned out to be a police post and they demanded our passports to prevent us driving further 'for our security'. All other traffic was allowed to pass through although this was mostly trucks and buses. The buses disgorged their passengers for toilet and prayer stops. At 7pm we noticed a line of 20 men lined up for prayer, facing Mecca which also happened to be in the direction of the Enterprise, parked on a rubbish tip!
The journey on Friday continued at a slow pace. There was a brand new road being constructed alongside us which stretched for miles and miles but traffic was prevented from driving along it by big mounds of earth every 100 yards or so. The diversion alongside this was rough and in some places very soft and sandy and big trucks had become bogged down, up to their axles. The Enterprise did well to get round some of these. Once back on tarmac we were able to pick up speed again and were in the next big town of Aleg by late Friday afternoon. As it was a Friday, the roads had been quiet, the Muslim holy day, and in Aleg the streets were lined with tents and lounging mattresses with carcases of sheep hanging up, ready for cooking. As we could see no hotel in town and our preference was to desert camp we continued for another 45 mins until we again found a track leading off into hard desert away from habitation. Apart from donkeys in the distance, it was quite 'desert'ed although very windy. Chris saw a camel the next morning, which wasn't surprising as there were many many camels along the roadsides or crossing in front of us as we drove. We believe we were really into Harmattan territory as it was much cooler and we had to sleep with duvets on at 20C.
Yesterday's drive to Nouakchott was very very windy with sand dunes blowing across the road and poor visibility. The roadside villages looked very desolate and the people battling against the wind and blown sand to go about their daily lives. As we passed through Boutilimit I was surprised how busy the little town was and how cheerful the people looked. In Mauritania bread is sold by boys carrying loaves on a board on their heads. We had bought some very good crusty French sticks and sweet buns the day before when passing through a town.
The Menata is very quiet compared to last time, mainly French motorists, an older couple from Spain and 2 young Belgians with a small boy who are driving up to Atar in their sturdy truck, and then across the desert. Chris would like to do this with them, but timing is difficult. We are sending a bottle of Pastis to Just at the Bab el Sahara where we stayed last year.
We are going to take the driving easy on our journey north and stop near the beach if the wind drops. On the way down it was windy so not worth beach camping in Western Sahara.
The morning we left Bamako we walked up to the local bank for some cash and spotted a European hairdressers on the way back, so Chris now has a very smart haircut by Joseph, the Lebanese. We had been given a time to collect our extended Mali visas from the Police Station and that was not until 3pm. However we were already to leave at 11.30 so Chris thought we would call in before they closed for lunch at 12.00 and they had them ready. This meant we were able to make good progress and were at Diema at 6pm, deciding to drive straight through and not stop to revisit Pam. We found an ideal track off into the bush at 6.30 and Chris immediately set to gathering wood and stones to make a fire. He soon had it hot enough to cook a delicious meal. We had a lovely quiet cool night, no bats, roosters, call to prayer or even traffic noise as there was little about.
We filled up on cheap Mali diesel at Nioro de Sahel, a real bustling frontier town and found the roads very good, as reported, on the Mauritanian side for some considerable distance and were able to make good speed. We knew there was to be a bad patch and eventually hit this - broken tar, pot holes and dirt track so back to crawling speed and dust. We had intended to find another bush camping place, but just before 6pm we came to what was labelled on Trax4Africa as a bus station. This turned out to be a police post and they demanded our passports to prevent us driving further 'for our security'. All other traffic was allowed to pass through although this was mostly trucks and buses. The buses disgorged their passengers for toilet and prayer stops. At 7pm we noticed a line of 20 men lined up for prayer, facing Mecca which also happened to be in the direction of the Enterprise, parked on a rubbish tip!
The journey on Friday continued at a slow pace. There was a brand new road being constructed alongside us which stretched for miles and miles but traffic was prevented from driving along it by big mounds of earth every 100 yards or so. The diversion alongside this was rough and in some places very soft and sandy and big trucks had become bogged down, up to their axles. The Enterprise did well to get round some of these. Once back on tarmac we were able to pick up speed again and were in the next big town of Aleg by late Friday afternoon. As it was a Friday, the roads had been quiet, the Muslim holy day, and in Aleg the streets were lined with tents and lounging mattresses with carcases of sheep hanging up, ready for cooking. As we could see no hotel in town and our preference was to desert camp we continued for another 45 mins until we again found a track leading off into hard desert away from habitation. Apart from donkeys in the distance, it was quite 'desert'ed although very windy. Chris saw a camel the next morning, which wasn't surprising as there were many many camels along the roadsides or crossing in front of us as we drove. We believe we were really into Harmattan territory as it was much cooler and we had to sleep with duvets on at 20C.
Yesterday's drive to Nouakchott was very very windy with sand dunes blowing across the road and poor visibility. The roadside villages looked very desolate and the people battling against the wind and blown sand to go about their daily lives. As we passed through Boutilimit I was surprised how busy the little town was and how cheerful the people looked. In Mauritania bread is sold by boys carrying loaves on a board on their heads. We had bought some very good crusty French sticks and sweet buns the day before when passing through a town.
The Menata is very quiet compared to last time, mainly French motorists, an older couple from Spain and 2 young Belgians with a small boy who are driving up to Atar in their sturdy truck, and then across the desert. Chris would like to do this with them, but timing is difficult. We are sending a bottle of Pastis to Just at the Bab el Sahara where we stayed last year.
We are going to take the driving easy on our journey north and stop near the beach if the wind drops. On the way down it was windy so not worth beach camping in Western Sahara.
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