We wake to still more rain and the Germans and BBs have also given up during the night and are asleep in their cars. We get ourselves packed up and ready to move as quick as possible the security guard is on hand to point out he has watched us all night and is tired and would like a tip / present. He gets the knackered chair as well as a whip round from the teams. He has done a good job and all our kit is still there.
We start to muster on the road and have to dig WWD out of their position on the campsite. This doesn't bode well for us doing much off road when we are in Mauritania. We start to roll and run around the town looking for fuel as some of the cars are running low. After 20 minutes we fill the cars up that are low from Jerry Cans and start the run. 10 minutes later we see a fuel station, typical!! We all fuel and refill the cans and get on our way. It is still fine rain and loads of wind, the wind isnt even in the car!!!!
We are now officially in Western Sahara and the sand is being blown across the road. Watching the patterns made as it travel is really hypnotising. Chris sleeps for lots of the first bit but wakes up for the police checks. Colin also attempts to sleep and we bounce around for a bit as we hit the edge of the road. Quite soon after Chris manages to convince Colin its time to swap. We run for a total of 200 km to Tarfaya a medium size town where we are hoping to have lunch. Unfortunately after a quick reconnoitre decide the place is a dump and to push on as its only another 100 km or so to where we are going to spend the night. As we get to roughly the right point Chris waves to Gran Canaria, as Rich Morris requested. Rich are you their for New Year?
The rain eases and then gets worse the wind drops and then builds up again. As we are driving Chris gets out and up on the roof as there is a horrible noise that is driving us both nuts. From what he can see it looks like a strap is being caught by the wind and thumping on the roof, its amazing how much such a small thing can wind you up!!! At the next police road block we get out and take the strap off. It had been put in to stop the roof rack shifting if we broke heavily. Sic Pickled Onion has brakes, when did this happen??
During the day we are stopped at several police checks and get through 3 fishes. The police are friendly and polite and occasionally ask for a cadeuax. It depends what you have visible to if they ask. Pleading you speak nothing but English seams to help.
We continue the next 100 Km with no problems and some lovely pictures. Heading into Laayoune we see military everywhere and UN vans. The place is a bit like Aldershot but a lot more guns on display. We head to the hotel recommended in the Lonely Planet unfortunately it is fully booked so we trawl round the town for a place to stay. Colin makes the mistake of saying he knows where we are and suddenly its Rubbish to the front. Colin is still trying to work out where we are and what we do at junctions without throwing in the walkie talkies. He does however direct us to within 50m of the hotel we decide to stay in. Its a lovely place and Adrian haggles the price down from 1400 duh to 900 duh per room including breakfast. According to Lonely Planet this is the next hotel up from the full one. The one below the full one has salt water showers, which doesn't sound the most appealing.
We fall out the cars and they all look a state and head to our rooms to freshen up. After the three S's Chris gets the filtration system up and running and his washing on. Clean Shreddies are a must!!! As per usually we also get the electronics packages on and charging. From their feeling like normal people we head out with GG and BB to get food and explore the city. We find a local cafe that serves food and lovely lavaza coffee mmmmmmmmhhh Chris is one hampy camper. Next door to the cafe is a patisserie where we get a load of sweet pastries to celebrate Deans birthday. The BB had sung happy birthday over the walkie talkies earlier. We amble round for a bit trying to find the supermarket and generally take in the sights before heading back for a bit of a rest before dinner. Chris uses the time to get afew of the blogs done and Colin watches BBC news (apparently the FTSE is up).
We meet up with the others and gave Dean the pastries before heading out for dinner. We decide to go to a pizza place that was closed earlier. We should have spotted something when the guy greeting us grin was larger than a cheshire cat. We order food only to discover that the pizza oven they are using can only hold 1 at a time and they wait till it is cooked before preparing the next one. As there are 9 of us it takes a while, whilst this is occuring Chris is drinking the most luminous Fanta he has ever seen and is feeling the sugar rush. Lewis this stuff makes relentless taste like water. Adrian receives news that the other Irish team are in town with the Russians (Dimitry and Stan). They are at our hotel making sure the bars beer is ok by drinking as much of it as they can.
We get back to the hotel feeling suitably full and catch up with the others stories. Stan managed to get when they cracked their sump on film. He was sat on the roof of the car at the time. They intend to get their exhaust welded back on tomorrow at the same time the Irish are going to find a new indicator unit as theirs fell out and they feel it would be an enticement for fines.
We retire and sleep like the dead till Colin walks into the glass table on his way to the loo. We are up at 0545 as we have a long push to where we intend to spend New Years eve. After vehicle checks and refuelling both us and the cars we head off.
No comments:
Post a Comment