In Dakar

Tiffany

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Yes, I made it Dakar and even managed to beat Simon Pavey here by two hours! OK, I know, he had the more strenuous route.

I got here on my birthday which was also the day the Dakar Rally arrived in town and so we were weaving our way through the typically African virtually stationary traffic alongside the huge trucks and strange-shaped sand buggies, chatting to any British drivers as I passed them.

The ride down has been looooong and hot, almost completely on tarmac until Mauritania where it was time to hit the sand.

Fanum, Slimbo and Tony had done a great job in dropping off my desert tyres and desert gear in Dakhla (southern Morocco) for me... many thanks guys.

The Hein Gericke Toerag desert gear has performed superbly in the hot conditions, the others I am riding with are most envious. It helped to make me a more convincing Rally competitor as we blagged our way into Senegal through the maze of passport and customs procedures.

So far, sand and camels have been the main obstacles - often at the same time which makes for perilous riding and much cursing. I am getting the knack of speeding over the surface of the sand for the smoothest ride.

At one point, out in the middle of nowhere, with only sand for miles and miles, a landrover appeared in the distance, driving erratically (which seems the norm here) it came all the way over to me, stopped and two Berbers jumped out to ask for a light! It seems that nothing changes wherever you go in the world.
We have had some fantastic evenings camping out amongst the sand dunes and enjoying the peace and quiet of the desert.

Ethel is running really well - one day I got an amazing 300 miles from her small 17 litre fuel tank which was great. The next stages are going to be tarmac until Mali where conditions will once more deteriorate.

Currently rough camping on the beach 5 miles outside of Dakar with some German surfers I met in Mauritania, improving my surf technique while I wait for my Mali visa to be processed.:sunshine
 
Nice one Tiff - hope Ethel continues to look after you. Please remind her that she's due back here by 15th April... ;)
 
Top Girl !!! :thumb
I am soooooooo jealous as I sit here in the cold damp place they call Belgium. :(
Have a safe onward journey and keep us updated.
TTFN
Gecko
 


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