Africa and beyond 2010

Don't worry about planning everything to the last detail, you aren't going to achieve 100%. Get the basics sorted and get going and just get used to being on the road - afterall, that's where you really want to be and that's where you will really find your feet.I wasn't going to write a blog for various reasons, but changed my mind because of how important HU and other people's advice has been for me during the planning and most of all during the trip itself.

Easy enough to get, although takes a day. Fill in the form, give them your passport and some cash and go back that day at 16:00 to pick it up.
See full entry for all details.Fill in this form, drop it off at the Mauritanian Embassy in Rabat in the morning (9am doors open) with:
- 340DHS (£30)
- your passport
- a copy of your passport
- two passport sized pictures
They give you a 'receipt' which you take back to the same office at 16:00 the same day and get your passport back with visa.

Met up with two bikers who I am going to head down south with; Peter Maddox a 2 year travelling veteran and Pip who is coming along to Senegal.

Just like the crossing from Morocco to Mauri, the Mauri to Mali crossing really changed the trip; we are now in Africa proper. After sorting out the insurance for the CFA countries for two months - Euro60 each which isn't too bad - we found the first Baobab tree and pitched our tents. The next morning we went into Nioro for fuel, water and money; all much easier to get than in Mauri for some reason - maybe it's a border town thing?

The trip down from Morocco through to the Western Sahara was quick, but dramatic in terms of scenery. Scattered between randomly empty new towns and tent villages, there are 'Mines' signs and sand dunes. We camped about 30km outside of Dakhla - there is a free camp area just after the turn off from the main road - and the campsite was full off French mobile homes (aka Plastic Boxes). It's a wind and kite surfer’s paradise. We ended up staying for two days, just to have some beach time and tinker with the bikes.

Despite all the rumors and machinations on various forums, Mauri turned out to be awesome; lots of police check points, but only because they didn’t want their reputation to be tarnished any more than it already has been. We free camped every night and the police were really helpful. One night we stopped early and camped away from the police and didn't check in with the next lot. They sent a car out to look for us to make sure we were alright and insisted nicely that we come and camp at the police check point as it would make them feel better.