Dear reader.
As you left the protagonists of this story, we had just entered Senegal over what I can only hope is the worst border crossing in the world. First, you wait for hours to do the Mauritanian paperwork, then you wait for the ferry (FERRY! What's wrong with bridges!!!), and then... then you get caught in the space with no time (especially if you're the guy sorting the car import papers) - but that appears to be most of Senegal.
Having gotten out (we left Nouakchott at 8am, and arrived at Richard Toll at 9pm, having hit the border at 12.30 :S) of Richard Toll yesterday, we entered Senegal. Which is - amazing. It's pretty, it's friendly and it's a generaly nice place to be in.
If they would only spend ever so slightly less money on Mosques, and put some of that into roads, THEN it would be incredible. I refer specifically to the "N1" Motorway (if you're looking at a map, that's the one from the Mauritanian border down to Mali) - and I use motorway in the broadest possible sense, meaning: road on which motor vehicles may travel.
Of course, goats, cows, locals on top of trucks, donkey carts and assorted other modes of transport may use it as well, at any time, without any indication. But that's OK, we're in Africa. The only slight problem is that... well, the first 30cm deep and 2m wide pothole you see, you go "meh, so what". The second one gets you worried, and by the 192nd, you just don't care anymore. Average movnig speed according to the GPS? 45.2kph. It gave us plenty of time to see the country, and enjoy a night on the savannah though - we didn't dare drive after 7pm anymore. If we'd have missed a cavern, sorry, hole... ouch. So, we spent a night surrounded by cows and goats, in the car. We weren't... happy with the defensibility of the tent, just in case a wild stampede suddenly occurred! ;)
After a reasonable (for Economy class airplane levels of reasonable) nap, we started off at 7.30 in the direction of Tambacunda, and about 50km on from our overnight camp... The Heavens opened up and a proper tarmac road with only the occasional deviation and pothole appeared. It was... magnificent. Baobab trees everywhere, the savannah as far as the eye could see... It's a pretty place.
Having decided not to go to the official camp tonight (along with about 50% of the other teams), what we did instead is go to the national park and took a little ride on the river Gambia - and let me tell you, Hippos are huge scary ba*tards.
Tonight, Tambacunda. Tomorrow, the last village for donations (though we plan to find a random place on the road and give them some of our stuff as well), the evening party - and then, Bissau, where we stay for one night before turning around and going up to Dakar.
You see, I just can't take 9000 more kilometers, so the car is going for a cruise on the 15th (arriving in Genoa, 10th March or so), and we are flying home!
More to come.
P.S.: If I don't manage to do it here - anyone know if there's anywhere in Budapest where I could exchange Moroccan Dhirams and Mauritanian Puffins (real name unpronounceable) for a more generally accepted currency?
P.P.S.: This is what the Senegalese roads do to you - TeamMalta had a major "sudden cessation of forward movement" - they're mostly OK, scrapes, bruises and a broken arm, but... Well, see for yourself:
As you left the protagonists of this story, we had just entered Senegal over what I can only hope is the worst border crossing in the world. First, you wait for hours to do the Mauritanian paperwork, then you wait for the ferry (FERRY! What's wrong with bridges!!!), and then... then you get caught in the space with no time (especially if you're the guy sorting the car import papers) - but that appears to be most of Senegal.
Having gotten out (we left Nouakchott at 8am, and arrived at Richard Toll at 9pm, having hit the border at 12.30 :S) of Richard Toll yesterday, we entered Senegal. Which is - amazing. It's pretty, it's friendly and it's a generaly nice place to be in.
If they would only spend ever so slightly less money on Mosques, and put some of that into roads, THEN it would be incredible. I refer specifically to the "N1" Motorway (if you're looking at a map, that's the one from the Mauritanian border down to Mali) - and I use motorway in the broadest possible sense, meaning: road on which motor vehicles may travel.
Of course, goats, cows, locals on top of trucks, donkey carts and assorted other modes of transport may use it as well, at any time, without any indication. But that's OK, we're in Africa. The only slight problem is that... well, the first 30cm deep and 2m wide pothole you see, you go "meh, so what". The second one gets you worried, and by the 192nd, you just don't care anymore. Average movnig speed according to the GPS? 45.2kph. It gave us plenty of time to see the country, and enjoy a night on the savannah though - we didn't dare drive after 7pm anymore. If we'd have missed a cavern, sorry, hole... ouch. So, we spent a night surrounded by cows and goats, in the car. We weren't... happy with the defensibility of the tent, just in case a wild stampede suddenly occurred! ;)
After a reasonable (for Economy class airplane levels of reasonable) nap, we started off at 7.30 in the direction of Tambacunda, and about 50km on from our overnight camp... The Heavens opened up and a proper tarmac road with only the occasional deviation and pothole appeared. It was... magnificent. Baobab trees everywhere, the savannah as far as the eye could see... It's a pretty place.
Having decided not to go to the official camp tonight (along with about 50% of the other teams), what we did instead is go to the national park and took a little ride on the river Gambia - and let me tell you, Hippos are huge scary ba*tards.
Tonight, Tambacunda. Tomorrow, the last village for donations (though we plan to find a random place on the road and give them some of our stuff as well), the evening party - and then, Bissau, where we stay for one night before turning around and going up to Dakar.
You see, I just can't take 9000 more kilometers, so the car is going for a cruise on the 15th (arriving in Genoa, 10th March or so), and we are flying home!
More to come.
P.S.: If I don't manage to do it here - anyone know if there's anywhere in Budapest where I could exchange Moroccan Dhirams and Mauritanian Puffins (real name unpronounceable) for a more generally accepted currency?
P.P.S.: This is what the Senegalese roads do to you - TeamMalta had a major "sudden cessation of forward movement" - they're mostly OK, scrapes, bruises and a broken arm, but... Well, see for yourself:
Glad you had fun at the border crossing: it took a lot longer than last year, so be glad you had plenty of time to admire the garbage and enjoy the rich smells.
ReplyDeleteBad news about the Moroccan and Maruritanian currencies: they are not convertible and (in theory) you shouldn't have taken them out of the country. They are worthless and will prove very difficult to exchange: keep them for the next time.