Desert from Nouadhibou to Choum to Atar to Chingeutti

22-07-2011 Desert road Nouadhi bou to Choum to Atar to Chinguetti  

20 July Wednesday we left Nouadhibou early for the route to Choum, not knowing what lies ahead. It is something you read a lot about: the desert, but to be in it is something totally different.

Hans had all the GPS coordinates so we were on our way. No road, just a straight line on the GPS, and landmarks to look for. The Railway line is somewhere to the left. We were warned not to drive to close to the railway line.

This railway line carries the 2, 5 km train, taking iron ore from Zouerat to Nouadhibou.

We had to do 540 km to Atar. We knew we will not make it, knowing that we’ll have to sleep somewhere in the desert. 

Coen stopped to check something underneath the Cruiser.


                                                              Al vehicles ready for the Desert

To his horror he saw his air helper spring had moved. Coen had the know how to fix it.

To Coen horror his airspring moved

  Between Stephanus and Hans they had the tools, from a screw to a drill. A high lifting jack had to be used after the car fell from the jack. Coen was quick enough to move away and the tyre was placed underneath the car. That could have been a disaster, but thanks to the boys thinking all went well. 3 hours later the car was ready, as Doepie would say, “to rock and roll”.

Stephanus got a little sun stroke, standing in the sun the whole time. His blood pressure dropped and he was feeling dizzy. Between the girls they quickly got him better, with ice water down his back. He was ready to take the sand again.

Stephanus negotiated a steep sand dune, just to find out it was not so easy. Hans radio’ed him to come right back, and then take it on with more speed. He managed the second time.

Mariana was getting worried, as the rest of us were in front and they had stopped. To her horror the dunes were giving the Cruiser a tough time. But Stephanus managed to get them out.

The temperature outside was 54 degrees. The wind was a little kind, although we were already in our desert outfits.

At 7 pm Hans suggested that we look for a camping spot for the night, a couple of km away from the road. Between the dunes Hans spotted some rocks and dunes. Just right for us. Stephanus was worried about a person coming our way and the village a couple of km away.

Hans went to the highest dune with his binoculars. He was satisfied that we are safe. Soon our visitor came by, we waved and he came to greet us. He was so friendly, and even invited us for dinner.

A very rich man measured by Camels invited us for Supper to his village

We put up camp in a square, soon the lamps were burning and candles. The tables were laid and as it was an open evening everybody was doing their own sandwiches. Sandwiches here are a French loaf with varieties of nice edible things. Hans and Elisme were on curry fish with cucumber and tomatoes. Stephanus and Mariana as well as Coen and Shanahaz were having sardines.

After tea and mangos we all went to bed.

Early next morning after a nice cup of coffee and rusks we left, Atar was our destination for tonight.

Sand dunes were getting steeper and the sand thick and very loose. Hans and Stephanus  stopped to deflate their  tyres.

Coen was leading today, a couple of times he had to come back and try the dune at another angle.  One of the valleys was very misleading and there Coen got really in to trouble. There was no gong forward or backwards. The boys tried to dig the wheels open, but that did not work. The Landy was called in to help

Coen and Stephanus checking the tow rope, while Hans is fastening it.

Coen, Stephanus and Hans discussed how to fasten the tow rope. The Landy was reversed in position. The rope was fastened, checked and a blanket put over it. Everything was ready, Coen in the Cruiser, Hans in the Landy. All set, and then the final moment. Voila and there comes the cruiser.

Here comes the Cruiser safe out of the sand; Thanks to the LANDY and it team mate HANS

Stephanus got in trouble once after again, Hans warned them to take the right way up a dune, but

Stephanus only realised the sand was too loose half way up. He had to reverse and  re-negotiates the dune, making it safely to the top.

They were quite relieved to reach Choum. The road to Atar was once again just on GPS. After about 6 km, Coen and Stephanus found the main road by a road marker giving the distances to Atar.

Road blocks were getting more as we were proceeding. One gendarme we didn’t see in a village made a desert chase of at. Rifle in hand they raced past and stopped us. When they realised we were only tourists they demanded our fiche and were happy to let us go.

In this round of desert sand the Landy came out tops. We still have a long way to go, and many chances for the Cruisers to improve on their performance.

The 2 Cruiser going up the Pass.

Camp Bab al Sahara was a very pleasant Oasis in the Desert. A nice shady living area with tables and hammock. They lit small lamps all round the camp; it looked so much like a fairy tale worldThe temperature was still around about 50 degrees.

Elisme was due to make supper. She did the lamb Shanhaz bought in Dakhla.

 After 1 hour in the pressure cooker it was ready to go with the rest of the tomato broth. Now for the Yorkshire pudding. That was the scary part for Stephanus and Hans, Elisme insist that the gas burner must go upside down on the pot’s lid. With a burner from the bottom and a burner on the top, within 15 min the pot was ready.

Mariana laid the table with copper standing around and berries in the garden.  We all enjoyed the welcome meal. Mariana made a nice slush puppy with the water melon and Cherry liquor. After that the bed was a welcome idea.

We were not quite prepared for the heat, there was no breeze blowing. Hans set up all the fans in their tent.  This was one of the evenings where the temperature never came down. In the middle of the night Hans was switching on the fans again.

Stephanus and Mariana thought it will be a good idea to change position in their tent. That didn’t help, as Mariana says the heat is everywhere, it doesn’t matter where you are.

Chinguetti was our next stop.  The 7th most holy city in the Muslim culture. 

A view from the roof of our Camp towards the holy temple

First we had to get an extension for our car import document. Our visas are for 30 days but our car’s import permit only for 7 days. This is just here where the bribery starts. Everyone is willing to help, but at an extra cost. We were waiting, but every half an hour they change the goal posts. Eventually Coen phoned Justus, the Dutch owner of the Camping, who was helping us all the way. He suggested that we leave without our extension. Suddenly the extension was ready. The cost would 10 000 Ooogy per car, that is about R250. Coen got furious and told the guy this is bribery. Then the trouble started. Everybody walked away.

The officer came back and then Coen asked Hans to continue negotiations. Hans not speaking French decided to phone Justus in Germany and explained our predicament. He spoke to the officer and then after paying our “bribery”  we left camp with our documents in hand.

The road to Chingeutti leads over a beautiful pass with very stony terrain. The road is a gravel road but well maintained. Along the way we saw a strange lizard. Hans said after looking it up it’s called a  spiny tailed uromastje lizard. They have stripes, blue and green.

We arrived in Chingeutti, the camping site was neat but had no trees. 

Hans, Stephanus and Coen went to investigate some other camps looking for shade. No success. Mariana and Elisme stayed at the camp. Here they have a room on top of the roof, mattresses and a dining table with 6 chairs. We decided this is where we will stay. A nice breeze comes through these rooms, there are no windows to open. The view is stunning over the city.

This is not a city as you know it, it’s mud and stone houses.

The boys decided to take a nap and the girls went for a shower. Everybody felt much better. Some of us read, Mariana was busy with her crocheting, doing a bedspread. Shahnaz, Elisme and Coen decided to do their blogs.

Mariana is doing our dinner tonight; she is going to serve, for pudding, stewed fruit with ideal milk. Elisme can’t wait for that.

Look at Mariana's POT. We eat like KINGS.

Our Guide is going to take us on a walking Safari through the town as soon as the temperature is more reasonable.

After a walk down a dry river bed and up a steep hill, we reached one of the oldest Mosques. 

Stephanus, Mariana, Hans and Elisme crossing the dry river bed to the holy temple and libary

The families keep the Mosque as their own private libraries. The documents are locked behind a glass draw. Each family has a door of entrance with its own key.  One of the Korans in there was written in 700BC.

One of the family treasures the Koran .

 The desert wind is busy destroying the Mosque.  This will not be here for many moiré years if they don’t start renovating it.The most used animal in this DESERT is the DONKEY. We heard a donkey whinning al night. the only opening he could find was this WINDOW.

The only WINDOW this DONKEY COULD GET.

Next time I will write from Nouakchott, that is the capital of Mauritania. We'll say GOODBYE  to the DESERT and MAURITANIA