Long way to Mauritania

After doing some surf places and meeting Garry, who is on a bike with a surfboard, me and Luke drove on South. By this time we picked up Manos, a greek hitchhiker, on the way to Senegal.

Got stuck in some dunes off the road in Laayoune

Garry with the surfboard

Surfs Up

One happy Luke

Once we got to Dakhla, it started raining and didn't stop for 2 days, which is kind of strange, in the middle of the Sahara. We resorted to cooking inside the van and watching some movies.

Finally found the sign for the tropic of Cancer, you can see why I missed it twice

Just before the border we spend a night in Lamhiriz, a fishermen's village.

When we got to the border, I was happy we got there in the morning, as it was very busy that day. After 2 hours we could start checking out of Morocco.

Then after succesfully navigating no-mans land, we had another 2,5 hours of frustration on the Mauri side, but eventually we made it in, with no questions asked about the dog, and just a very quick look in the van. They told me I could have brought in 3 bottles of alcohol per person, if only I had known, I wouldn't have drunk most of it by now.

Chillin' in Nouadhibou

I'm now in Nouakchott, sorting out the visa and teaming up with Spanish KTM driver Kruger for the 'route de l'espoir' to Mali.

Along the coast

We're slowly going south, spending time in some surf villages.

Testing the 4x4 option

Luke and Ben tried some surfing, but I was happy just to watch them with some cold beers.

And I would like to introduce the newest team member, Syncro, the dog.

I'm in the proces of de-fleaing and de-worming her. But the biggest worry is how to get her over the Mauritanian border, I guess I will have to hide her next to the alcohol.

Next stop Tan Tan in the Western Sahara.

Mountains & defeat

Fleeing the tourist hotspot that is Marrakech, I thought I would have a go climbing the 'Jebel Toubkal'. I kind of minimised the fact that it is the highest mountain in all of North Africa and that it's nearly winter time. But when I arrived in Imlil and spoke to someone that just returned from the top, I realised that it was not for me, at least not this time.

Today the weather was fine, but only yesterday it snowed, and as they told me that nighttime temperatures at basecamp were -10° and windchill temperature at the top was -20°, I thought it would be best to not even try and just have a nice walk about halfway up to basecamp. That way I could be back at the car around 15u and drive back off the mountain to an altitude where I could bushcamp without freezing.

I  had a great time on the five hour walk, but unfortunately I didn't even get a glimpse of the Toubkal. I had to turn around at about 2500 m, still 2 hours from basecamp. All this time the track was going straight up and I found it to be hard going.

After returning to the car, I drove down to Asni, where I found a quite place to sleep. But at midnight I found myself surrounded by a large pack of wild dogs, howling all night. Luckily they where quite scared of me, and skirmished as soon as opended the side door.
Now I'm in Taghazout, North of Agadir, waiting for Luke and Ben. As soon they arrive, we will be going ever more South...

Some more pictures & video

On the way to Marrakesh

Luke and Ben

Trying to fix the fan...

...then letting the Moroccons do it

Cascades d'Ouzoud

Next days will be spent back into the mountains, trying to climb the highest mountain of North Africa, the Jebel Toubkal, at 4120 meter.

Morocco

Picked up some Moroccon hikers

The anciant city of Volubilis

This is the guard wondering how I got in before 8 o'clock

Nice sunrise

Because I got in before it opened I got the place all to myself

Almost blew up the engine when it overheated on this steep uphill part