Day 1, 1st February 2007:
We
have travelled 310 miles, except for a wheel coming loose, no problems! We are in a hotel in La Roche, west France, jeep doing 20 miles a gallon! Cool x
Ray.
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3rd February:
We have named the jeep 'Ernest' - we've driven 1, 250 miles in Ernest! We're travelling down the south coast of Spain, heading for Malaga tonight - still at 20 miles per gallon. We
stopped off in Benidorm to see 'Fat Mick' for lunch! We're in convoy with two other cars - we all aim to meet up on the night of the 5th in Tarifa (near Gibraltar). P.S. All spares are flat! xx
Ray.
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4th February:
We're now at the hotel near Tarifa and are meeting the other teams. Today we drove from Motril where we stayed the night in a lovely hotel - probably our last night of anything like near luxxury! We have been traveling with Pieter & John of the Moomdogs. Had our first sight of Africa across the straights of Gibraltar. Ernest has been fine! The sun shone in Ernest today & the temp got into the 20's.
Day off tommorrow but we are going to get some final shopping and prep (puncture repairs) done before striking out for Africa on Tues.
Sid.
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5th February:
Rest day today, started with a
great breakfast down in Tarifa town, then onto Albersieras
for some last minute provisions. Then to Gibralter for a
quick visit. Went round & up the rock, came down again
because too expensive! Had a great Paiela for dinner back
at hotel with other teams, built a new fan switch for the
2nd fan on Ernest - a major engineering feet! Got tickets
for Ferry from Taifa to Tangeers in the morning had lots of
beers. So early start in the morning - Africa here we come
!!!!!
Sid.
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6th February:
We are in Morocco, Africa! Staying overnight in a
town called Chefchaouen high in the mountains north of Fez, we have just eaten a massive local meal (tajines, cous cous
etc) in the Medina. No booze, only mint tea! The fun, will
be finding our way out of here without a guide! 2moro Fez.
Ray.
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7th February:
We are now in Fez, northern Morocco, beautiful scenary down the Atlas mounts, but the road is very bumpy, Fez is a crazy busy town, we paid a guide (on a moped) to take us to a hotel, Sid has gone to the Medina to have a look & to meet the rest, i'm taking it easy as Ive got a bad cold! Boo hoo, bye 4 now.
Ray.
8th February:
In Marrakech now. Sat out in the Medina to eat. Long day today 500km nearly from Fez to Marrakkesh. Ernest took the poor roads for breakfast lunch and dinner. That old Jeep is really doing the stuff! Got cheap room at Tazi hotel in the Medina so out now for beer and food with the other teams.
This is a mad place. The medina is amazing! See the pics!
Sid.
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10th February:
HALF WAY!! 2000 miles completed, today we left Agadir after having the exhaust welded, after Ernest went over the high
pass, out from Marrakesh. We have a few rattles! 2nite were
near Sidi Ifni on the coast above Tan Tan, i think we will
be camping for the first time 2moro, i will let you know,
30+degs.
Ray.
11th February:
Good food & lots of booze last night. Long day today,
500km from Sidi Ifni to Layoune. All good tarmac through
the desert. Along 1st part of the skeleton coast shipwrecks
littering the beach. Ernest is developing some probs - the
rear dampers are shot & the brake master cylinder seals
have gone! We'll sort what we can in Dakhla before the
desert for real.
Sid.
13th February:
Dakhla, spent getting car sand-worthy while we went
fishin in eve, ate fish!
Ray.
14th February:
5am up, forming a convoy of 5
cars for the push into Mauritania.
Ray.
Update: we're both fine, we had a hard day today, moving
between countries, ran out of petrol (3 times) 3 hour
customs, 1 mile drive across a minefield, then to the
poorest town you have ever visited, Nouadhibou, we wouldnt
stay in the town, 2 dodgy, so our 1st nights camping!! Id
better have a drink! x
Ray.
15th February:
Nouadhibou, we’re going to lose phones for 3 days going across the desert, 1st night camping on the dunes, 2nd night camping on the beach. Then we’re going to Nouakchott - get back to you as soon as we can, love to you all. Bye for now.
Ray.
17th February:
All 6 cars made it through the desert! JUST! Our jeep is in a very poorly state now, but still going, we had to push all the cars out of sand many times, the worst was a 500 meter stretch on 1st day, it took 2ish hours in 45deg heat to get through, we camped in the lea of a dune & ate Camel! Next day we camped on the beach half way through and had fish cooked on a car sump plate & got drunk on our smuggled booze! long beach drive 2day. Nouakchott 2nite.
NEWSFLASH! 2 old guys doing the challange, called "costa blanca dons" in front of us in the desert, wandered off from the guide got lost & started a major search.
Ray.
18th February:
It was sort of a day off while we waited with our group 4 news of the lost "Dons" the norwegians from our group went up in a plane and spotted them! We went swimming & generally took it easy, got the cars checked over, fuel'd up, and ready 4 a 5am start, 2moro Senegal! The border cross is bad! x
Ray.
19th February:
After a 5.30 hungover start, we drove 290km (90km) on a very rough road to the border of Senegal, we "flew through" in 3hours!! 2nite we are in a national park near St Louis & are having a early night 2nite, 10pm, sid has already hit the sack (not feeling well) i'll chat with other groups 4a bit.
Ray.
21st February:
21st day! Senegal, we had a day off yesterday and took a dodgy 3hr boat trip to St Louis, an amazing vibrant (Havana like) town, we had a bbq in the evening and as usual, the day before a long drive, nearly everyone got drunk (not me) and went swimming, Sid has managed to feed most of the mossies here! X
Ray.
22nd February:
WE'VE MADE IT!!! After a very long days drive (on some of the worst roads in the world) breaking down, and 40+deg, we got through the Gambia border @ 8 30pm, THEN, we had to drive another 25ks on roads with holes the size of bath tubs to get to the infamous "Barra" ferry crossing, and run the "Barrage" of young hustler, hasslers, we bribed our way onto the last ferry, and got an escort to the hotel (1am) where we all had a cold beers 2 celebrate.
Sid+cigar X
23rd February:
TOTAL 4359 miles! 1000 photos, 25 gig of HD video, And many stories of our adventures to tell you! I'm attempting to get a stand-by flight home 2day (Fri) Sid is having a weeks holiday. We had a party & free dinner last night, it was great to be around people who had shared the same experiance, c u R X
Ray.
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