Sahara Desert Part Duex

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Through Agidir and Guelim. And now in Tan Tan Plage. Chipping away at the 1, 200 km of desert region. Met Tash, an English girl, who just married a local guy. Who works at the camp site. Between them I sorted out some bread and fuel. And got the low down on black market petrol from Anglers.

The desert road is almost totally straight, so not too exciting. Two days ago I put my i pod on, whilst riding, for the first time. I'm sure I look like the Sheik of Cool, as I ride along, singing and boping in my helmet and enduro suit. Infact, entertainment is when I see some camels !! And they seem to look at me all confused.

Back in the north of Morocco, I'd see Police at most roundabouts. But they always waved me through. Now, there are very official check points. With a mixture of Morrocan Army and then Police. All armed. (This region has had issues in the past.)

They now always pull me over and ask for my passport. I need to print off and fill in something called a 'Ficshe'. (Might not be spelt correctly. )
It's a bit like a questionnaire for a dating show. What's your name, where do you come from, where are you going. And do you prefer brunette or blondes ? That sort of thing.

The desert is still a mixture of rock and sand. Not quite the Lawrence of Arabia set, you might expect. Temperatures and humidity are all tolerable. But I have noticed the bike is rusting at an unseen before rate! ! Any exposed metal and it rusts. I think the Sahara is like a microwave ruster. :(  so I have baby wiped the bike. Honestly, I have.  To remove all oil, I have a slight leak, so the sand can't stick.

I need to Google " cado " or " cadu". I'm guessing it means " can I have your cash buddy ". As ever kid I pass says it to me !!! Lol.

Presently being entertained by a four year lad. Who is pointing at bits of my bike. Wanting to know what it's called in English.  Nice just to be ' talking ' to someone.

Going for it tomorrow. Making good head way towards the Mauritania border.

Not much to report. Apart from sun, sand and dating questioners.

Find me on Facebook . London to Johannesburg. "Like" and get updates and more sarcasm.

Will

The Sahara Desert

Saladi cum

After I wild camped by the cliff face. I continued down the coastal back road. Slightly disappointed with my progress so far, I made sure I was up for 8 am. But by the time I do the daily chores. Making something to eat, pack all my kit away. Re distrubute weight on my bike and get my enduro kit on, its 10 am.

But hot to trot and cranking up those 12 wild horses, I was determined to have a good day. Over 1, 400 kms till the Mauritania border. Most of that being the Sahara Desert.

No mad moments for a change. Great views of the coast, along with climbing up the side of the Atlas mountain range. Expecting to wild camp, I pulled over for a 5 minutes break. Where I met a Morrocan 'Adventure' party, returning from the desert. A 2 minute chat and I was on my way to a cheap hotel in Essouira.. Cost me 70 dr. ( £5.50). I needed to print some locations off of petrol stations and places to get water. So that dropped in nicely.

Ended up having 36 hrs there. A walled, coastal town. Several hundred years old. (See pics). Didn't speak to a sole. But was great to walk about, in non bike kit. And know all my stuff was safely locked in a room. ( Camping, wild or not. That you do not have. )

The landscape is rapidly changing. The earth is getting lighter and more rocky. The temperature, as yet, has not increased markedly.

Having stayed in Essouira, and had enough of being over charged for everything, I moved on. And guess what I met along a lonely road ???
Nothing!!!! No, camels..............and then lots of nothing. Seemed ok with me. :))

The people are friendly, but if there is a wiff of tourists, prices go to what ever they can get. £1 for a 10p packet of rolling papers !!!!! £5.50 for a bottle of Tango, a chocolate bar and some biscuits !!!! Never having my pants down again.

Bit tiered, no compo rations now. Just the water I carry ( 13 litres), a local large Luncheon meat tin and local bread. Supermarkets are long way behind me.

I have a set plan for getting to the border. From here on in. The Police have passport check points everywhere. But i should be at the Mauritania border soon enough. Where a 4 km long mine field awaits me. The morrocan sides Customs barrier lifts, after appropriate bribes are paid. And its 4 kms of desert, ,mined either side. With just " Mines ' on signs to guide you. It seems im a fair bit ahead of the two ' Overlanders ', Gary and John.Who I left on Tuesday or Wednesday. And I will get to the border before them. Lol Talk about the Hare and the Tortoise. They've heard it's a total nightmare from Mauritania to Senegal.  We shall see.

Anyway, feeling fit. Just started riding with my I pod on. I might be slow, but I ride for hours. Lol.

You can find updates on Facebook too. Search " London to Johannesburg ". Press " like ".

Looking forward to seeing us break the £3, 000 mark. I've put everything in the pot. Can you just put twenty or thirty quid ?? Click the Help for Heroes logo. Top right.

Will

Back on my own

Monday I had headed south from Rabat, along the R322, towards Casablanca. Stopping at L' Ocean Camping, near .Mohomedinia. Where I had arranged to meet up with John and Gary, who I'd met getting their Visas at the Mauritanian Embassy too.

Nice camp site, all be it a bit run down. I wasn't too bothered. It had electric to charge my bits up, ( oy yoy ).And free wi fi.Half a dozen folk were there, mainly in desert vehicles.  Either coming from or going to the Sahara. So it was a great opportunity to get information, for what's ahead. Which is now part of my routine. Whenever possible.  And to speak English to someone. And not just be talking to myself and singing in my helmet. ;)

The lads had to run about doing admin. Knowing what that's like and having to pack your tent and kit away. I offered to be on tent watch. Whist John went to the one and only KTM dealer. And Gary sorted his Visa issue out, ,back in Rabat.

The Islamic festival of the lamb, is in full swing. All you see are sheep cramed in car boots,  straddled over mopeds and on the back of carts. They skin them and basically bbq parts. I think i was offered a meal today, at the road side. A guy had three ram heads bbq ing away. But I gave him a fag instead, playing it on the safe side. Gutted, I wish I could speak Arabic. And knew how to say " well done please " ! I can now say " how much " and also, " thats bloody expensive".

Parted company today with John and Gary. They are off to Marakesh. Meeting the rest of their group. So I am riding down the coastal back road. And loving it.

I'm heading to the gateway to the Sahara Desert, some 600 km south of me now. The road is fairly poor and so are the locals. Been through some nice villages and always seem to be getting saluted !!

Just before sunset I pulled up at this cliff. Looked pretty cool. Wasnt sure were I was going to sleep. As I write this and save it to draft. I can tell you, I have no idea of my exact location! ! Pitch, pitch dark, middle of nowhere. Tent is fifteen foot from a small cliff , but out of site of the small road.

Going to actually buy a map of Morocco tomorrow. ( Might be a good idea. As i dont have gps either.)That's if I can find one. Petrol stations here sell....er just petrol !!

Loving rural Morocco and the crack I have with the people.  Even if I haven't got a clue what they are saying.

Check the photos out. As i approach the Sahara Desert I have had another re jig of the kit. My 10 litre water container, on the rear of the bike, is now full. I was riding with just 5 litres in it. But have rebalanced the bike, by moving some kit to the other side. Also, I am riding wearing my Camel Bak. ( Holds 3 liters and tastes crap. As I didn't wash it out properly. )

It's going to get even hoter and hoter from here on in. With only very rare wi fi moments. Which I need,to get my confirmation email from the Senegal Embassy.( Country after Mauritania).

Back on my mobile. So sorry its text then photos. Check them out. And can you make a donation by clicking my Help for Heroes logo. Top right.

Will

Rabat.

Saladi cum

So I set my alarm on Sunday for 8 am. Giving me enough time to pack down my tent and make my way towards Rabat. Some 240 km south.

But I need not have. For the field i was in had some hens and cockeralys. ( Guess where this is going). Not to mention some recently purchased lambs. For the Islamic festival on Tuesday. Well at about 3 am I heard the dolsit tones of a distant Cockerell. Some 100 meters away. Now this cockeral must have been imported from bloody China. As it was clearly on a different time zone and didn't do it's job very well.!! That then made another cockeral, some 50 meters away, kick off. All confused, the damn cockeral in my field must have thought he was late. And he started ranting. All night long, 3am to actual sun rise, cock a blinking doodle do.!!!!!! :))

Via a small Morrocan cafe, where I had ' poilet et Chamawar ', check me out. I made my way south down the N1. Not too bad a road, ,rough in places. That runs along side the A1 toll road. Great countryside, with people living in polythene tents in fields. Where they harvested an orange coloured big fruit. ( No idea, as I am a meatatairian.)

Whilst riding along, I saw a local pushing a three wheeled bike come pick up. I pulled over and said in my perfect French,  "non Gasoline " ? He noded and I did my AA bit and gave some from one of two 5litre containers im carrying. My good deed for the day done, I saw a dust track road running parallel.

Off onto it i went. Wow !!! I filmed it with my head cam.I was pleased with myself and the little bike. Sitting on top of my rolled up sleeping bag. Which sits snuggly behind me. II rode for 30 odd kms, over sand and around massive holes in the once tarmac. I loved it. I beeped my horn at the locals and everyone waved and smiled. I even had a quick kick of some lads football, whilst still on the bike. The next game was to sit on the sleeping bag, put my weight on the handle bars and do a star jump. When ever I saw a local on a moped. Most of them dually responding, with the same manoeuvre.As we rode past each other.

The reason I was heading to Rabat, is to get my Visa for Mauritania. Some 2, 000 km south. So I had the pleasure of my first Hotel in four weeks. Bed, shower and wi fi.Up at 8.00 am thought, no delinquent, time zone challenged Cockerell here. Nothing is simple in these parts. 6 am on the dot and im thinking Ozzy Osborne had just got in. And was on the PA system. Thankfully it wasn't. But next door was one of three local mosques. A bit like the Cockerells, when one started, they all did. Calling everyone to pray.

So off this morning I went to the Mauritania Embassy by ' Petit Taxi '. ( Code for 20 year old Fiat Uno or Peugeot 205.) 30 dr later I was there. Now here's some facts about getting your Visa. As id read some incorrect  info. Take your passport, two photos, two pjotocolies of both the first page and entry stamp and 340 dr. Get a local hawker to fill the forms in, as they are only in French. Pay him 10 dr ( €1), hand it in and collect at 3 pm.Job done, I now have a 30 day Mauritania Visa.

I am now at a camp site near Casablanca. Camped next to me is another Brit and an American. We met outside the embassy in Rabat.They think im nuts. As they are on a Suzuki DR 650 and a KTM 690. Been great to speak English, as its just about zero here in Morocco.

Lol.Still beat them to the camp site.I did have a big head start though . I'm still staying off the main roads whenever possible.

The people have been friendly. It's been a pleasure. But tomorrow is the beginning of five day Islamic holiday. Before setting off, I want to find out the availability of water and petrol. For the journey ahead. 

Remember I'm doing this to raise donations for wounded servicemen. Please click the Help for Heroes logo. It all goes to guys who have lost arms and legs. I got down today over the lack of donations. Less than £300 in the past month.  So please, don't wait for someone else.

Will