Challenge Diary - Page B - Sidi Ifni to Kiffa

Leave Sidi Ifni [map] at around 10am, changed some money at bank.

Steady driving south again, only interrupted by young Tim and Paula getting stuck in sand during an 'off road excursion'.

'Tripod' our camel mascot, with blue-tack shoe	The first ones to be stuck in sand

Into Western Sahara.

Arrived at a camping place (Le Roi Bedouin) about 37km north of Laayoune [map]. Options were to camp, use one of the Bedouin style tents or a simple room with mattress. As the price difference was minimal and we arrived before most of the others, we took the room!

Tim took to the repair of the burned out wiper controls. Unfortunately this resulted in having a part left over for which a home could not be found. It obviously had something to do with the hazard flashers, as these would not turn off. A heavy-duty rubber band around the big red button fixed this, combined with restored (if occasional) wiper operation without fire, success was declared. Ray and John went to the beach for a play in their 1984 Land Rover, until all four wheels got well and truly bogged down in salt marsh. Ian and others helped out, and after a couple of hours trying every type of recovery possible, managed to free the old Landy before the tide came in.

Picnic. Somewhere in Western Sahara

Ate camel & date stew prepared by our hosts, accompanied by our own wine. Very good.

We leave Dakhla at 10am, one day ahead of group who are having a rest day here. We will have an extra day in Nouakchott.

Drive 390km to Morocco/Mauritania border. Arrive at lunchtime so have to wait a couple of hours before Moroccan formalities can be completed.

While making our way through no-mans-land between the border posts, a navigational 'Faux Par' (by Tim) resulted in getting the car stuck in deep sand. Assistance from locals (who spend their time waiting for such events) was soon on hand, though at a price. 100 euros was negotiated down to 30 and progress was once again being made and the Mauritanian passport, customs and car insurance were stamped, paid and bought respectively.

Stuck in sand in no-mans-land. Bu**^r !	Sandstorm

Partial sandstorm from the east reduced visibility but not so much as to slow us down. When we did this stretch last year it took 3 days, all off-road including a final half day run down the beach to Nouakchott. This year we take the new tarmac road.

We top up with petrol at a filling station. This has to be delivered from the stations jerry cans as opposed to the pumps, which are sitting on empty tanks, not too unusual in this part of Africa.

A long days driving (827km) gets us to Nouakchott [map] at 9pm to stay at the Auberge la Dune, relatively expensive for us at 9,000 Ouguiya (£22) per night for the two of us. Still, I suppose we are in the Mauritanian capital.

Our mobiles not working here though OK last year we seem to remember.

First mission today is to find a cash point and bolster our funds. We soon discover that there are no longer any machines or banks in Mauritania which will accept any western plastic whatsoever. Although we have enough cash to get us to Bamako (Mali), Nick is very concerned that we will not have any reserve to fall back on should we get into trouble or 'unforeseen circumstances'. By the end of the day, Nick's wife manages to express-transfer £300 through to a branch of Western Union.

What with the no-phone situation and cash issue, Mauritania seems to have gone backwards; maybe an economic downturn or politics has affected these things.

Nouakchott. Note Renault 12 taxi on left
'Lucky' the goat >> (Lucky it didn't get eaten that morning).

Rest of group arrive and are told of the cash situation. Most of them are OK and brought loads of cash to begin with. The lack of phone coverage frustrates everyone a bit.

Nick gets to the bank early to collect our cash, no problem.

10am and we're on our way out of the city in a mini convoy, heading East now towards Nema [map]. The plan is to then use the dirt roads/tracks to get across the border into Mali and then on to Timbuktu.

Bad toilets & showers, due to poor drains we think.

Mosquitoes bothered all those who slept in the communal tent last night. This was further confirmed by the 35+ bites counted on Tim's forehead, hands and arms.

It is decided that we will all spend the day here at the Kiffa campsite, so that a replacement windscreen can be procured for Paula and young Tim's Mercedes 190. It's a common car here so hopes are high. Other vehicles are tinkered with and fettled. Tim checks the oil and water levels and the size of the hole in the exhaust, no change.

Repairs supervision	Ian fixing the UMM

No luck in finding windscreen for Mercedes so scarves and goggles are found for the occupants and plans made for the next phase of our journey. Reports received lead us to believe that the northern route to Timbuktu beyond Nema is extremely difficult, and depending on whom you speak to (and believe), it is widely claimed that 4-wheel drive is essential.