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From Hot 2 Cool – Agadir, Morocco
Currently, we’re in Agadir, Morocco. Some 2000km north of St. Louis.
2 arrive there we had to overcome 2 borders, cross Mauritania, and travel through the whole Sahara. No longer as adventurous as it was some 50 years ago. Nowadays the open north-south passages are limited to the 1 in Sudan we crossed in 2012 and the marvelous 1 thru Mauritania – by now all the way paved. Except for some 4km of sand and rocks in no-mans-land between Mauretania and Morocco. Thus, only sand in the potholes reminds us of previous difficulties.
In St. Louis we have 2 have our last beer before dry Mauritania, …
St. Louis 2 Agadir
… say goodbye to Senegal and cross the bridge in direction of the famous border post of Rosso.
And then – Rosso. A place famous 4 all that is considered negative by anybody crossing a border.
On the Senegalese side, procedures are fast. No hassle, no demand 4 anything, just unfriendly guys. Nevertheless, no complains.
On the Mauritanian side the visa within half an hour – that’s ok. Customs – big problem; boss not here, but will come later. And we’re sitting in front of the closed doors.
4 hours later, after all kinds of demands from the customs vagabonds, the boss arrives and a few minutes later we’re permitted 2 cross Mauritania in 3 days. Wowwww – 3 days, approx. 1000km and not a single beer.
By night we finally arrive in Nouakchott. Incredible town, especially concerning their driving patterns.
The next day nearly 500km 2 Nouadhibou.
Desert, in front the road, left some sand’n’rocks, right some rocks’n’sand …
Shortly before Nouadhibou and near the border 2 Morocco some rather dangerous places, …
… finally, the most boring trailer ever made, …
… and then we’re in Nouadhibou. We stay in 1 of Mauritanias world renowned lodges (Baies des Léviers).
In the morning we need the help of all other guests to get our car started – considering our flat battery. Well, we decide not 2 replace it immediately. U can easily cross the Sahara without a battery (just don’t stop the engine).
Back on the road – 2 Dakhla in Morocco.
We have 2 cross an interesting no-mans-land between the 2 countries: road ahead, mines right, mines left; do not miss ur path – still, seems 2 b a preferred place to have ur illegal car discharged.
The border is easy and fast; we leave Mauriania within the 3 days they allowed us and get a 6-month permit for Morocco – probably the latter 1 is more dependent on tourists than Mauritania.
The road: pretty good, the landscape same as the day before, except for the sea and some beautiful beaches.
In the evening we arrive in Dakhla. What a cultural shock after Mauritania – not only 2 b back 2 urban life but also 2 b in a place where the glass is so much bigger than the beer bottle – and all at the prize of a honorable 6-pack
Further north thru Morocco’s huge South 2 Laayoûne. Landscape c the day before, but fascinating coastline…
… and some really foggy areas.
Laayoûne – a modern town with many admin buildings;
… it’s beautifully placed near an oasis with a huge open water reservoir.
We stay at the marvelous Camp Bédouin a little outside Laayoûn – a campsite in the middle of the desert …
… beautiful landscape, great food, …
… and even some fog the next morning.
The next day on thru the desert 2 Tan Tan – landscape c day before
We stay at the pretty nice campsite Ksar de Tafnidilt,…
… enjoying a fantastic sunset, followed by an even more awesome sundowner.
Next morning we drive 2 Agadir, the ultimate mass tourism center in Morocco.
We find a nice campsite outside the tourist masses, the Ocean View just North of Agadir – unfortunately there’s such a lot of wind – it keeps us busy the whole night. Next morning we’re feeling like after a rotten grape party combined with a heavy whisky-drinking competition. We slightly have 2 change our plans in order 2 recover – we book on internet into one of these 1 million guests a year factories – just 4 a night and 4 experience.
And finally the 6-pack of this post:
Many People spend the hell a lot of money 2 get their houses painted. In West Africa no need 4 this absolutely unnecessary expenditure. U simply choose ur beloved color, check which product is represented by this color – and if ur house is along a busy roadside or if u ask nicely the guys from the company they will do the painting for u – even with some additional decorations. Below a few examples.
