| Alone in the Sahara | It was a pleasant night. The near Atlantic brought a fresh wind and air. I enjoyed the feeling to freeze after a long time. | |
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Early in the morning I started. The sunrise was
coming. Only a track excepted me and the police man said yesterday, a Land
Cruiser need 20 hours to Nouadhibou. The first 20 km would confirm this.
This was the most terrible corrugated iron piste of my tour. Also when I
drove 80 km/h - the car wouldn't still.
It was sandy and only dry. Only hard and dry grass. No bush and no trees. Soon I came back on the Atlantic. In some times I saw little villages and between it many tents of the fishermen.
The pistes branch out in every times. But al will be come to the same finish. I had the choice of many way and I chose apparent the best way. But all was the same. Then I had the feeling the way isn't right after Tiouilit. The direction wasn't in the North. I drove in the East. So I gone back and a police man said, the best way is on the beach. He asked me doubt - Is the car strong? I smiled. So I drove on the beach the next 60 km. I fine feeling with a nice view. |
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So I came to Nouamghar after this idyllic drive. Got 20 l petrol. And happy I gone farther. The route was easy and I thought no problems for me and my car. So I crossed the Parc National du Banc d'Argult. The piste followed a great bay of the Atlantic. And there I saw Flamingos and Pelicans. But very shy and to far for my camera.
I left the bay after 40 km and gone to the inside of the land. The right piste was also finish and I got much and deep sand. I saw only one prints and I asked me - Is the way correctly? I drove back and had to say - this is the correctly way. Well, the second try of the piste I got stuck in the sand. The wheels would more down as straight. I think you know the first word in this situation - we in Germany say "Scheiße" (French - merde). It was in the noon. The sun gave your best. I didn't believe of a coming little helper. I saw the last poeple 40 km before. I had to help myself. Well, I shovelled the wheels free. The second try was right and I'm free for the next 20 m and then the same. Just I know why the Land Cruiser need 20 hours. My most important question was - is all the same the next 300 km? So I came in a nomads tent village. Didn't see a man and asked the only one woman to the way. But the answer wasn't convince of me. I think she said to all questions the answer. I had luck and found a man. He took my hand and gone with me to the track, better to a print and he said - This is the direction to Chami. Follow this print. I gone to my car and in this time, which luck, came a Land Cruiser down the hill. I was happy. Now I could follow him. I agreed this with the two men. As we started they took a total other way through the desert sand. But I was sure - this is right and they know the Sahara. Soon we could left the deep sand prints and the piste was firm again. One of the man offered me a deal during a break. I should drive to Morocco with him and then back to Mauritania. Two times illegal. Two time through a mine field. I said - No, thanks. For nothing money of this world. He was insulted. They stoped middle in the desert after 70 km and they said here is finish. They would your gift. My sleeping bag or other expensive things in my jeep. They got my fishing rod. And Chami is there (one of the men show with the hand to East) and said - In 15 km you will find Chami. And fast they sat in your car and was disappeared. I saw only desert. No tracks. No piste. And 15 km is not so near. When the direction not right -> 1° = 350 m mistake. But what can I do. Nothing. I couldn't change the situation and so I took my GPS and drove to east. Nothing after 15 km. A track of North-South direction after 17 km. This is my track to Nouadhibou. So I droved 10 km in the South and hoped to find Chami. But nothing. (Later I will know - the direction was right, but the men had stoped 15 km to far in the North and so I couldn't find Chami in the East. Chami was in South-East. A mistake of 45 ° = 15 km.) Well, I checked my petrol and my topical location. Checked the risk without fresh petrol to go to the North. I checked my future when I have no luck and when I'm unsuccessful and said - When I have problems during the first 50 km I will find a track with people 20 or 30 km in the West. And when I will get problems after this I will find a railway trail 60 km in the North. No problems for healthy legs. So I gone alone to the North. Adventure pure. I drove farther to Nouadhibou. The first direction was North to Bou Lanour. I started my own Rally Paris - Dakkar. With track or without it was all the same. Only one to North. I crossed the desert over sand or stone. With prints or without prints. I couldn't follow the prints, than I didn't know your finish. So was the best my own direction. It was interesting and done enjoy. |
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I came in the near of Bou Lanour a small time before the darkness. But I couldn't find the small village. So I looked for a hill and stood there of the next night. In the darkness I saw the lights of Bou Lanour behind the next dune. But I stood where I stood. The desert itself was in the most parts very flat. A good drive and firm sand earth. In some times I had to cross small hills or dunes. The hills was stony. But over the dunes I wouldn't drove. I was a little bit afraid to got stuck and so I passed the dunes beside. In some areas grew grass and the sand built small hills on it. This was a little rough and bumpy. I was curious, whether I met a poeple. But the area was a area without poeple. I saw one caravan in the far. This was the only one. I this enormous area I was alone . |
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By sunrise I started at the next morning. In my
mind was only one thought - Have I enough petrol. I found Bou Lanour. Only
some huts and no petrol. So I had to drove to Nouadhibou without fresh
petrol. I gone to West to the bay of Nouadhibou. This route was more heavy
as yesterday. I had to cross many hills and dunes. More stony. And so more
slowly drive. Every time I looked at the petrol display - the pointer gone
to zero. And then was finish. But without care. The last distance are only
90 km. Enough for my last petrol of reserve or the walk to the next petrol
station not so long. I got some problems in two times. Got stuck in the
sand. And it wasn't possible to come free. The car was to deep in the sand
after one try. I sat off. But it gave friendly poeple with big cars or
truck. And I have a rope. So I came free after small times.
So I arrived Nouadhibou happy and the first petrol station was me. I had still 2 litre petrol in my car.
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