Well, we finally made it into Mali...
We stayed at an auberge in Dakar. Had some good food there, but had to eat mostly in the dark as the power kept cutting out. Still, we had a comfortable bed to look forward to... except the rooms were right next to a bar. Arguments and loud revelry kept us awake most of the night .
Normally I'd be the one making the noise but we were exhausted.
It would be about 600km's to the Senegal/Mali border, which shouldnt take that long we thought. But the roads are really really bad. We are learning quickly, to underestimate times. Potholes everywhere. Seems to be a major trucking route from Dakar to Bamako, and there are broken down trucks every few km's. The heat is upper 40's mostly. Poor bastards working on the trucks in that heat have my sympathy.
The cruiser just glides over the potholes.
Stopped to make some tea.
We stayed at an auberge in Dakar. Had some good food there, but had to eat mostly in the dark as the power kept cutting out. Still, we had a comfortable bed to look forward to... except the rooms were right next to a bar. Arguments and loud revelry kept us awake most of the night .
Normally I'd be the one making the noise but we were exhausted.
It would be about 600km's to the Senegal/Mali border, which shouldnt take that long we thought. But the roads are really really bad. We are learning quickly, to underestimate times. Potholes everywhere. Seems to be a major trucking route from Dakar to Bamako, and there are broken down trucks every few km's. The heat is upper 40's mostly. Poor bastards working on the trucks in that heat have my sympathy.
The cruiser just glides over the potholes.
Stopped to make some tea.
Kept on going but realised we wouldnt make it to the border that day. Found a campement that was shut for the season, but the caretaker - 'Ali G' - let us camp anyway. He cooked for us and was really cool.
They even had a pool, which we desperately needed as it was nearly 50 degrees :
They even had a pool, which we desperately needed as it was nearly 50 degrees :
I was feeling quite ill from the heat actually, possible heat exhaustion.
At 6am it was already too hot to sleep anymore and so we headed off to the border.
The Senegal/Mali border is chaotic. We were back and forth between police checkpoints and customs. Again, nobody seemed to know what to do with the flipping carnet. This document is supposedly 'essential' for travel in most countries, and without it you are supposed to forget about travelling to Senegal.
Well nobody knows what to do with it. I'm certain you can get through without one. Customs officers look at it like early man first seeing fire.
This was the least of our headaches though. . .
We had been stamped 'out' of Senegal, but the LC was not yet cleared through customs I went back to the car and jumped in to drive to the checkpoint. Put in the key, turned ... nothing. Just a click. Lights were on, so the battery connection was fine..
Turned the key again and just 'click' . Oh no.. in a dusty outpost in searing heat, sick as a dog, and now this - a failed starter motor...
At 6am it was already too hot to sleep anymore and so we headed off to the border.
The Senegal/Mali border is chaotic. We were back and forth between police checkpoints and customs. Again, nobody seemed to know what to do with the flipping carnet. This document is supposedly 'essential' for travel in most countries, and without it you are supposed to forget about travelling to Senegal.
Well nobody knows what to do with it. I'm certain you can get through without one. Customs officers look at it like early man first seeing fire.
This was the least of our headaches though. . .
We had been stamped 'out' of Senegal, but the LC was not yet cleared through customs I went back to the car and jumped in to drive to the checkpoint. Put in the key, turned ... nothing. Just a click. Lights were on, so the battery connection was fine..
Turned the key again and just 'click' . Oh no.. in a dusty outpost in searing heat, sick as a dog, and now this - a failed starter motor...