I came in the Sahara. The sun shine so hot as never before. The wind in my car in the noon is hot as the air from a oven. I closed the window and it was better. The coldest here was myself.

I started early. My experience of yesterday said me - avoid the sun in the noon. I changed money in Nema and saw a man with a clip. He repaired the banknotes with it.

From Nema go the only one tarred road of Mauritania in the direction to the West to Nouakchott at the Atlantic. The other roads are all tracks. The landscape was more and more open. The heat don't permit more. Sand blow over the road und in the far it is dull. But it is a other haze. The wind carry the desert dust and the horizon will be blurred. The fresh of the morning give way slowly the daily heat. I measured the temperature today - 51,5°C. In this hot noon time I looked for a shady place. I bought cold water and in this shop I got my place on a carpet. All poeple here laid on the carpet. Also the chief woman and only when came a customer she left your nice and comfortable carpet. Also I saw a black boy - he had to sit on sacks. I think a slave. Really - a slave. The slavery was normally and legal in Mauritania till 1980. It's crazy for us European. But I think - this slavery is not the same as we think. The boy hat to do the heavy work but he got all things and also enough.

I stood there 3 hours and then I gone farther. In the next town - custom control. Then I needed fresh petrol. I had to carry the petrol pump. And the heat came back and beat on me. It was all to much for me and I looked for only shadow. So I found the next carpet in a shop. The poeple smile about me. I got ice of water later - wow, a fresh feeling.

I drove further one hour before the darkness will be come. A short time I saw rocks. But soon the flat land with the much sand came back. So I arrived Kiffa in the evening. Found a hotel. A little bit to expensive, but I was down and so me was all the same. I needed rest. In the early morning, before the sun will come, I will start tomorrow.

Only with GPS I could find the way beside the road.

So I took my break in the noon in Aleg. I look for a restaurant. Not the same as in Europe - it was only a tent roof. and under it you can lay on the carpet. It was difficult to order a lunch. No table map and I can't speak French. So we agreed what we also understand - Kuskus and mutton. The slaughter mutton hang under the roof and when I ate my lunch, the little bit flesh between my tooth, I saw to the mutton under the roof.

Just I know where come the word - only skin and bone. I saw the mutton under the roof  - only skin and bone. Not so much flesh. But I'm not a great eater and in this heat I'm also not so hungry.

Camel parking

I drove farther after 4 hours break and waiting of cooler temperature. I had to drive only 100 km to Nouakchott, but they are the most interesting kilometre and I will see the really Sahara. I crossed Boutilimit and then came the sand. Sand blow over the tarred road and in the far, wide before the horizon would come, the view was dull. The dunes came on the road and big trucks clear it . I remembered me at Sossusvlei in Namibia. A little bit the same. Not so big. But the red sand and the red sun in the sunset time. And every time, in the valleys between the dunes, little villages. There, where apparent the poeple have in one time water.

Soon it was dark. And in the nightly time I crossed Nouakchott. I haven't enjoy to look for a hotel And tomorrow in the early morning I will not find little helper to find the correctly way to the North. And so I drove farther in the North and 20 km after Nouakchott I parked my car beside the road. My camp for this night.

And tomorrow will be come my trip - Alone in the Sahara.

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