Saturday, 24 January 2009
1.06pm
Brendan writes "Just about at the Mauritania border - plenty of military, plenty of landmine warnings - the weather's nice and sunny though ;-)"
From the roadbook...
Day 8. January 24. Finish: Nouadhibou. Distance: 425 km.
We'll be crossing the Tropic of Cancer today. It's easy to spot the Tropic of Cancer because there's a sign that says Tropic of Cancer. It's customary to leave a little trinket here to commemorate your crossing of the TOC. From today on, you'll be in the tropics.
Tropic of Cancer sign: N23 26.362 W15 57.969
If the sign has fallen please help it up!
There won't be much excitement till we reach Guerguarat. The desert landscape will become more and more like the way we always envisioned the Sahara. There will be several military checkpoints along the way. Slow down in time and make sure you have your papers handy. Make sure you fill up your vehicle and your jerry cans at the last gas station before the border. Fuel is cheaper here than in Mauritania. The last gas station in W. Sahara.
We'll be crossing the border at Fort Guerguarat. Keep in mind that the border closes between noon and 2pm for prayers and lunch.
Get ready for a nightmarish border crossing today. This will really be awful. Normally it takes 3-4 hours. During the Budapest-Bamako it takes 6-10 hours and there is not much we can do about it.
The border crossing takes place in 8 levels. You need to complete all 8 levels before you're home, safe.
Level 1 - Moroccan Police
They need to enter your passport information into a computer. There's one guy for this and he only uses on finger for typing. Then another guy checks his work. A third one enters your data in a book and then a fourth guy checks everyone's work in a different room. This usually takes about 1-3 hours. You need to wait for your passport at the metal police barricades.
Level 2 - Moroccan Customs
This is considerably faster than Level 1. If you don't have your customs papers you got at the point of entry, you will have to go back to Tangier or Nador. Once your papers are ok, they'll be stamped and you are ready for Level 3.
Level 3 - Moroccan Customs Check
You need to go outside and show your car to the customs guys outside who checks your vehicle, as well asthe officer's work who stamped your customs papers. They are always looking for drugs or guns. Don't carry either of these with you!
Level 4 - Gendermarie
This is a national police of sorts. The guys at Level 1 were local. These guys are the Feds. Their main tool of the trade is a gigantic leather bound book with checkered paper. This is where they have to write everyone's name by hand. Last year I recommended that we'd submit a computer printout or an email with every particpant's information. Their answer: OK, but how do we get the names into the book? Good point. Here the system is a little better; you have to take a number. Expected wait is 2-4 hours.
Level 5 - UN supervised demilitarized zone - mine field
You are done with Morocco, you are now ready to proceed to Mauritania.
WARNING: DO NOT GET OFF THE TRACK HERE! LANDMINES ARE EVERYWHERE! THIS IS A MILITARY ZONE! BETWEEN THE TWO BORDER POSTS THERE ARE LANDMINES!
In the past we mistakenly called this area no man's land. It's a military buffer zone under UN supervision. Neither the Mauris nor the Moroccans are allowed to enter in uniform.
There are several dangers here:
a) Landmines
b) Local guides! They will want to change money for you, show you where it's safe to drive, sell you postcards, wash your car, knit you a sweater, etc. If you are a license plate collector, they also sell license plates from varius countries. DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM. Yo uhave no recourse. This area is not governed by the laws of any country. If you feel safer by having a guide, the going rate is 20 Euros. If you get stuck in the sand, the rate for pulling you out is 40 Euros. DO NOT CHANGE MONEY HERE! There have been reports of counterfeit bank notes and other scams.
Don't get lost today. ALWAYS FOLLOW TYRE PRINTS. This is the only rule for this section. Everyone is afraid the first time. Don't be nervous! Always keep to the left. Follow the track, the prints and keep to the left until you reach the Mauritanian post.
Be careful and alert. If you have a 2x2 car, don't go onto soft sand! If you are nervous, hire a guide. Agree on the price and pay him only at the Mauritanian border.
WELCOME TO MAURITANIA
It's generally easier to cross the border coming into Mauritania than entering Morocco. The process has imprved greatly here since they demolished the two refrigerator boxes and erected a border post made of bricks instead. The customs shed is still made of industrial and animal waste, but there are signs of progress.
LEVEL 6 - Police
Show your passports. Smile. Normally the police guy always demands a petit cadeau. In 2005 it slowed down the border crossing .The constant arguing, haggling and bargaining made everyone edgy and slowed down the process. Give them something. Give 5-10 Euros, a flishlight, casette tape, T-shirt or whatever else you have in your petit cadeau box just to speed up the process. Don't give porn or booze.
LEVEL 7 - Border Guards.
Show your passports. Show your visa. Smile.
LEVEL 8 - Customs.
Here they can get a little mean. You need to register your car with customs just like in Morocco. Fill out the paperwork, pay 10 Euros and you are good to go. If you've been to Mauritania by car and your car is not stamped out of your passport, please get a new passport. It's cheaper than paying 50-100 Euros in bribes. It happened to me this year. You don't need an international driver's license.
Attention TRAINSPOTTERS: East of the paved road is the railway line, where the world's longest train runs twice daily.
Today's end stage is Nouadhibou. Please be careful in the city. Sailors, picpockets, illegal immigrants and prostitutes make the fabric of Nouadhibou colorful. Don't take more money than you can afford to lose. Leave your camera and valuables in a sfae place.
At the Abba there's a cook who makes excellent fish dishes. Find her and charm her into making you a fish feast.
We'll be crossing the Tropic of Cancer today. It's easy to spot the Tropic of Cancer because there's a sign that says Tropic of Cancer. It's customary to leave a little trinket here to commemorate your crossing of the TOC. From today on, you'll be in the tropics.
Tropic of Cancer sign: N23 26.362 W15 57.969
If the sign has fallen please help it up!
There won't be much excitement till we reach Guerguarat. The desert landscape will become more and more like the way we always envisioned the Sahara. There will be several military checkpoints along the way. Slow down in time and make sure you have your papers handy. Make sure you fill up your vehicle and your jerry cans at the last gas station before the border. Fuel is cheaper here than in Mauritania. The last gas station in W. Sahara.
We'll be crossing the border at Fort Guerguarat. Keep in mind that the border closes between noon and 2pm for prayers and lunch.
Get ready for a nightmarish border crossing today. This will really be awful. Normally it takes 3-4 hours. During the Budapest-Bamako it takes 6-10 hours and there is not much we can do about it.
The border crossing takes place in 8 levels. You need to complete all 8 levels before you're home, safe.
Level 1 - Moroccan Police
They need to enter your passport information into a computer. There's one guy for this and he only uses on finger for typing. Then another guy checks his work. A third one enters your data in a book and then a fourth guy checks everyone's work in a different room. This usually takes about 1-3 hours. You need to wait for your passport at the metal police barricades.
Level 2 - Moroccan Customs
This is considerably faster than Level 1. If you don't have your customs papers you got at the point of entry, you will have to go back to Tangier or Nador. Once your papers are ok, they'll be stamped and you are ready for Level 3.
Level 3 - Moroccan Customs Check
You need to go outside and show your car to the customs guys outside who checks your vehicle, as well asthe officer's work who stamped your customs papers. They are always looking for drugs or guns. Don't carry either of these with you!
Level 4 - Gendermarie
This is a national police of sorts. The guys at Level 1 were local. These guys are the Feds. Their main tool of the trade is a gigantic leather bound book with checkered paper. This is where they have to write everyone's name by hand. Last year I recommended that we'd submit a computer printout or an email with every particpant's information. Their answer: OK, but how do we get the names into the book? Good point. Here the system is a little better; you have to take a number. Expected wait is 2-4 hours.
Level 5 - UN supervised demilitarized zone - mine field
You are done with Morocco, you are now ready to proceed to Mauritania.
WARNING: DO NOT GET OFF THE TRACK HERE! LANDMINES ARE EVERYWHERE! THIS IS A MILITARY ZONE! BETWEEN THE TWO BORDER POSTS THERE ARE LANDMINES!
In the past we mistakenly called this area no man's land. It's a military buffer zone under UN supervision. Neither the Mauris nor the Moroccans are allowed to enter in uniform.
There are several dangers here:
a) Landmines
b) Local guides! They will want to change money for you, show you where it's safe to drive, sell you postcards, wash your car, knit you a sweater, etc. If you are a license plate collector, they also sell license plates from varius countries. DO NOT DEAL WITH THEM. Yo uhave no recourse. This area is not governed by the laws of any country. If you feel safer by having a guide, the going rate is 20 Euros. If you get stuck in the sand, the rate for pulling you out is 40 Euros. DO NOT CHANGE MONEY HERE! There have been reports of counterfeit bank notes and other scams.
Don't get lost today. ALWAYS FOLLOW TYRE PRINTS. This is the only rule for this section. Everyone is afraid the first time. Don't be nervous! Always keep to the left. Follow the track, the prints and keep to the left until you reach the Mauritanian post.
Be careful and alert. If you have a 2x2 car, don't go onto soft sand! If you are nervous, hire a guide. Agree on the price and pay him only at the Mauritanian border.
WELCOME TO MAURITANIA
It's generally easier to cross the border coming into Mauritania than entering Morocco. The process has imprved greatly here since they demolished the two refrigerator boxes and erected a border post made of bricks instead. The customs shed is still made of industrial and animal waste, but there are signs of progress.
LEVEL 6 - Police
Show your passports. Smile. Normally the police guy always demands a petit cadeau. In 2005 it slowed down the border crossing .The constant arguing, haggling and bargaining made everyone edgy and slowed down the process. Give them something. Give 5-10 Euros, a flishlight, casette tape, T-shirt or whatever else you have in your petit cadeau box just to speed up the process. Don't give porn or booze.
LEVEL 7 - Border Guards.
Show your passports. Show your visa. Smile.
LEVEL 8 - Customs.
Here they can get a little mean. You need to register your car with customs just like in Morocco. Fill out the paperwork, pay 10 Euros and you are good to go. If you've been to Mauritania by car and your car is not stamped out of your passport, please get a new passport. It's cheaper than paying 50-100 Euros in bribes. It happened to me this year. You don't need an international driver's license.
Attention TRAINSPOTTERS: East of the paved road is the railway line, where the world's longest train runs twice daily.
Today's end stage is Nouadhibou. Please be careful in the city. Sailors, picpockets, illegal immigrants and prostitutes make the fabric of Nouadhibou colorful. Don't take more money than you can afford to lose. Leave your camera and valuables in a sfae place.
At the Abba there's a cook who makes excellent fish dishes. Find her and charm her into making you a fish feast.
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