Sat - November 6, 2004
Article in the Mail on Sunday
The
Mail on
Sunday published yet another
article about the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge on Sunday 31 October 2004. Guess
whose photo featured? In fact this picture was taken by the
Evening
Standard photographer, so they
must have syndicated the photos. There's no telling where we might turn up next.
Posted at 07:55 AM
Mon - April 5, 2004
The Observer's Sport Monthly
On Sunday 4 April 2004
The
Observer printed a list of
50 Sporting Things You Must Do Before You
Die. Taking part in the Plymouth-Dakar
Challenge was listed as number 38 (although they were not in any particular
order)
38. Drive the Plymouth-Dakar
Forget Paris-Dakar - you will all have done that anyway, right? - this one is truly the world's wackiest race
Now go and do it:
The rules for entering the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge are simple: competing cars must cost less than £100 and a limit of £15 is placed on any improvements made to the car. Once the rally is under way teams are on their own, receiving no formal assistance from the organisers. When teams complete the course all cars will be donated to local charities in the Gambia, which is where the race, despite its name, actually ends. To enter you need to register on the official website, www.plymouth-dakar.co.uk, and entry forms for the 2005 race (starting in December 2004) should be available this month. Once you have registered on the mailing list, information on the availability of applications will be emailed to you. The race is hugely oversubscribed so you will need to get in early. To get a flavour of what it's like to compete in the race, visit www.desertprats.com
You can read the whole article at http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,6903,1183014,00.html
Posted at 01:43 PM
Sun - March 7, 2004
Article in New Zealand News UK
The Feb 11th edition of New Zealand
News UK carried nearly a full page article about us
Here is the front
cover
and
the
article
Posted at 05:36 PM
Tue - February 3, 2004
Post PDC Depression Syndrome
...most Rallyists have returned to
"Normal Life" and the subsequent Post PDC Depression
Syndrome...
Symptoms:
Total disregard for all road safety when driving and excessive use of the car
horn;
Attempts at passing folding currency
when inevitably stopped by the Police for the
former;
Frequent periods of lost contact with
reality during which the victim mentally drifts off to
a
land of sunshine, sand and dunes; Hailing
the beauty of form and function of the
humble
porcelain European toilet bowl; At
least 50% of all spoken sentences begin with
"I remember when we were 20km South of the
Mauritanian Border..." or similar.
Sufferers
may be shunned by friends and family [who quickly tire of hearing about
encounters
and experiences shared with people
with strange names] and find it hard to concentrate once
they
return to their former employment. Many
get sacked for non-productivity quite
quickly.
Cure:
There is no known cure, but symptoms may be moderated by alcohol and
frequent
socialising with other sufferers,
especially if that time is taken to plan the next great
adventure...!
Posted at 06:04 PM
Fri - January 23, 2004
Cool Photo taken by Giles
Giles Coe very kindly sent us this
photo that he took called "Beach Racing"
Giles, Mark and Walter were the other team
driving a Cavalier called "Sir
Ralph"
Posted at 04:23 PM
Tue - January 20, 2004
Final Post... for the time being
Use the links below to view our
photos from the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge 2004
Remember to check out the last link...
Mauritania from Space
Also a
NEW
movie clip just added of the
Car Auction in
Banjul thanks to Jon
Hope (Team DB)
Posted at 09:29 AM
Wed - January 14, 2004
Photos and Movie Clips
Three Movie Clips (NEW one from the Car Auction in
Banjul)
Through
France and
Spain
Northern Morocco
Southern Morocco (Western
Sahara)
Through No Man's Land, Into Mauritania, Nouadibhou, and
into the Sahara Desert
New Years
Eve
The Desert Run, and the Beach Run to
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Southern
Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Welcome
Home
Mauritania From Space
Posted at 09:33 AM
Tue - January 13, 2004
Car Auction in Banjul
Thanks to Geri at the Garden Safari
Hotel in Banjul....
Here is a photo of our stout-hearted Vauxhall
Cavalier at the auction in the Independence Stadium, Banjul on Saturday 10
January.
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis
(equivalent to about £360). See the
movie clip of the Auction
, made by Jon
Hope
Posted at 09:49 PM
We're on the BBC Website
Giles and Te Kiwi Cavaliers are on the
BBC Southern Counties Website
Posted at 01:18 PM
Sun - January 11, 2004
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop
Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED
MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP)
-
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally
suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members
stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to
pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and
some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from
travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the
problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race
officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put
my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader,
told France 2 television.
At least 100
racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers,
race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the
Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's
edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as
the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the
country.
French TV showed armed soldiers
surrounding each car, truck and bike at the
border.
"The soldiers were armed. They
were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed
this."
"This was the first time this ever
happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka
said.
It was not clear how much time was
lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz,
the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the
Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far
north.
Reached by telephone, a northern
government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the
national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't
appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the
Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara
Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Article in New Zealand News UK
The Feb 11th edition of New Zealand
News UK carried nearly a full page article about us
Here is the front
cover
and the article
and the article
Posted at 05:36 PM
Tue - February 3, 2004
Post PDC Depression Syndrome
...most Rallyists have returned to
"Normal Life" and the subsequent Post PDC Depression
Syndrome...
Symptoms:
Total disregard for all road safety when driving and excessive use of the car
horn;
Attempts at passing folding currency when inevitably stopped by the Police for the former;
Frequent periods of lost contact with reality during which the victim mentally drifts off to a
land of sunshine, sand and dunes; Hailing the beauty of form and function of the humble
porcelain European toilet bowl; At least 50% of all spoken sentences begin with
"I remember when we were 20km South of the Mauritanian Border..." or similar.
Sufferers may be shunned by friends and family [who quickly tire of hearing about encounters
and experiences shared with people with strange names] and find it hard to concentrate once they
return to their former employment. Many get sacked for non-productivity quite quickly.
Cure: There is no known cure, but symptoms may be moderated by alcohol and frequent
socialising with other sufferers, especially if that time is taken to plan the next great adventure...!
Attempts at passing folding currency when inevitably stopped by the Police for the former;
Frequent periods of lost contact with reality during which the victim mentally drifts off to a
land of sunshine, sand and dunes; Hailing the beauty of form and function of the humble
porcelain European toilet bowl; At least 50% of all spoken sentences begin with
"I remember when we were 20km South of the Mauritanian Border..." or similar.
Sufferers may be shunned by friends and family [who quickly tire of hearing about encounters
and experiences shared with people with strange names] and find it hard to concentrate once they
return to their former employment. Many get sacked for non-productivity quite quickly.
Cure: There is no known cure, but symptoms may be moderated by alcohol and frequent
socialising with other sufferers, especially if that time is taken to plan the next great adventure...!
Posted at 06:04 PM
Fri - January 23, 2004
Cool Photo taken by Giles
Giles Coe very kindly sent us this
photo that he took called "Beach Racing"
Giles, Mark and Walter were the other team
driving a Cavalier called "Sir
Ralph"
Posted at 04:23 PM
Tue - January 20, 2004
Final Post... for the time being
Use the links below to view our
photos from the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge 2004
Remember to check out the last link...
Mauritania from Space
Also a
NEW
movie clip just added of the
Car Auction in
Banjul thanks to Jon
Hope (Team DB)
Posted at 09:29 AM
Wed - January 14, 2004
Photos and Movie Clips
Three Movie Clips (NEW one from the Car Auction in
Banjul)
Through
France and
Spain
Northern Morocco
Southern Morocco (Western
Sahara)
Through No Man's Land, Into Mauritania, Nouadibhou, and
into the Sahara Desert
New Years
Eve
The Desert Run, and the Beach Run to
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Southern
Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Welcome
Home
Mauritania From Space
Posted at 09:33 AM
Tue - January 13, 2004
Car Auction in Banjul
Thanks to Geri at the Garden Safari
Hotel in Banjul....
Here is a photo of our stout-hearted Vauxhall
Cavalier at the auction in the Independence Stadium, Banjul on Saturday 10
January.
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis
(equivalent to about £360). See the
movie clip of the Auction
, made by Jon
Hope
Posted at 09:49 PM
We're on the BBC Website
Giles and Te Kiwi Cavaliers are on the
BBC Southern Counties Website
Posted at 01:18 PM
Sun - January 11, 2004
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop
Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED
MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP)
-
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally
suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members
stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to
pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and
some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from
travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the
problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race
officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put
my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader,
told France 2 television.
At least 100
racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers,
race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the
Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's
edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as
the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the
country.
French TV showed armed soldiers
surrounding each car, truck and bike at the
border.
"The soldiers were armed. They
were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed
this."
"This was the first time this ever
happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka
said.
It was not clear how much time was
lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz,
the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the
Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far
north.
Reached by telephone, a northern
government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the
national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't
appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the
Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara
Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Cool Photo taken by Giles
Giles Coe very kindly sent us this
photo that he took called "Beach Racing"
Giles, Mark and Walter were the other team
driving a Cavalier called "Sir
Ralph"
Posted at 04:23 PM
Tue - January 20, 2004
Final Post... for the time being
Use the links below to view our
photos from the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge 2004
Remember to check out the last link...
Mauritania from Space
Also a
NEW
movie clip just added of the
Car Auction in
Banjul thanks to Jon
Hope (Team DB)
Posted at 09:29 AM
Wed - January 14, 2004
Photos and Movie Clips
Three Movie Clips (NEW one from the Car Auction in
Banjul)
Through
France and
Spain
Northern Morocco
Southern Morocco (Western
Sahara)
Through No Man's Land, Into Mauritania, Nouadibhou, and
into the Sahara Desert
New Years
Eve
The Desert Run, and the Beach Run to
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Southern
Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Welcome
Home
Mauritania From Space
Posted at 09:33 AM
Tue - January 13, 2004
Car Auction in Banjul
Thanks to Geri at the Garden Safari
Hotel in Banjul....
Here is a photo of our stout-hearted Vauxhall
Cavalier at the auction in the Independence Stadium, Banjul on Saturday 10
January.
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis
(equivalent to about £360). See the
movie clip of the Auction
, made by Jon
Hope
Posted at 09:49 PM
We're on the BBC Website
Giles and Te Kiwi Cavaliers are on the
BBC Southern Counties Website
Posted at 01:18 PM
Sun - January 11, 2004
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop
Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED
MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP)
-
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally
suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members
stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to
pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and
some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from
travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the
problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race
officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put
my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader,
told France 2 television.
At least 100
racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers,
race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the
Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's
edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as
the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the
country.
French TV showed armed soldiers
surrounding each car, truck and bike at the
border.
"The soldiers were armed. They
were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed
this."
"This was the first time this ever
happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka
said.
It was not clear how much time was
lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz,
the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the
Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far
north.
Reached by telephone, a northern
government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the
national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't
appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the
Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara
Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Final Post... for the time being
Use the links below to view our
photos from the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge 2004
Remember to check out the last link...
Mauritania from Space
Also a NEW movie clip just added of the Car Auction in Banjul thanks to Jon Hope (Team DB)
Also a NEW movie clip just added of the Car Auction in Banjul thanks to Jon Hope (Team DB)
Posted at 09:29 AM
Wed - January 14, 2004
Photos and Movie Clips
Three Movie Clips (NEW one from the Car Auction in
Banjul)
Through
France and
Spain
Northern Morocco
Southern Morocco (Western
Sahara)
Through No Man's Land, Into Mauritania, Nouadibhou, and
into the Sahara Desert
New Years
Eve
The Desert Run, and the Beach Run to
Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Southern
Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Welcome
Home
Mauritania From Space
Posted at 09:33 AM
Tue - January 13, 2004
Car Auction in Banjul
Thanks to Geri at the Garden Safari
Hotel in Banjul....
Here is a photo of our stout-hearted Vauxhall
Cavalier at the auction in the Independence Stadium, Banjul on Saturday 10
January.
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis
(equivalent to about £360). See the
movie clip of the Auction
, made by Jon
Hope
Posted at 09:49 PM
We're on the BBC Website
Giles and Te Kiwi Cavaliers are on the
BBC Southern Counties Website
Posted at 01:18 PM
Sun - January 11, 2004
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop
Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED
MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP)
-
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally
suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members
stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to
pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and
some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from
travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the
problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race
officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put
my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader,
told France 2 television.
At least 100
racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers,
race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the
Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's
edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as
the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the
country.
French TV showed armed soldiers
surrounding each car, truck and bike at the
border.
"The soldiers were armed. They
were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed
this."
"This was the first time this ever
happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka
said.
It was not clear how much time was
lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz,
the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the
Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far
north.
Reached by telephone, a northern
government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the
national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't
appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the
Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara
Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Photos and Movie Clips
Three Movie Clips (NEW one from the Car Auction in
Banjul)
Through France and Spain
Northern Morocco
Southern Morocco (Western Sahara)
Through No Man's Land, Into Mauritania, Nouadibhou, and into the Sahara Desert
New Years Eve
The Desert Run, and the Beach Run to Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Southern Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Welcome Home
Mauritania From Space
Through France and Spain
Northern Morocco
Southern Morocco (Western Sahara)
Through No Man's Land, Into Mauritania, Nouadibhou, and into the Sahara Desert
New Years Eve
The Desert Run, and the Beach Run to Nouakchott
Nouakchott
Southern Mauritania
Senegal
The Gambia
Welcome Home
Mauritania From Space
Posted at 09:33 AM
Tue - January 13, 2004
Car Auction in Banjul
Thanks to Geri at the Garden Safari
Hotel in Banjul....
Here is a photo of our stout-hearted Vauxhall
Cavalier at the auction in the Independence Stadium, Banjul on Saturday 10
January.
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis
(equivalent to about £360). See the
movie clip of the Auction
, made by Jon
Hope
Posted at 09:49 PM
We're on the BBC Website
Giles and Te Kiwi Cavaliers are on the
BBC Southern Counties Website
Posted at 01:18 PM
Sun - January 11, 2004
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop
Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED
MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP)
-
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally
suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members
stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to
pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and
some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from
travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the
problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race
officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put
my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader,
told France 2 television.
At least 100
racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers,
race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the
Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's
edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as
the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the
country.
French TV showed armed soldiers
surrounding each car, truck and bike at the
border.
"The soldiers were armed. They
were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed
this."
"This was the first time this ever
happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka
said.
It was not clear how much time was
lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz,
the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the
Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far
north.
Reached by telephone, a northern
government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the
national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't
appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the
Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara
Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Car Auction in Banjul
Thanks to Geri at the Garden Safari
Hotel in Banjul....
Here is a photo of our stout-hearted Vauxhall
Cavalier at the auction in the Independence Stadium, Banjul on Saturday 10
January.
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis (equivalent to about £360). See the movie clip of the Auction , made by Jon Hope
It sold for 18,000 Dalasis (equivalent to about £360). See the movie clip of the Auction , made by Jon Hope
Posted at 09:49 PM
We're on the BBC Website
Giles and Te Kiwi Cavaliers are on the
BBC Southern Counties Website
Posted at 01:18 PM
Sun - January 11, 2004
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop
Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED
MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP)
-
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally
suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members
stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to
pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and
some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from
travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the
problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race
officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put
my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader,
told France 2 television.
At least 100
racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers,
race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the
Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's
edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as
the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the
country.
French TV showed armed soldiers
surrounding each car, truck and bike at the
border.
"The soldiers were armed. They
were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed
this."
"This was the first time this ever
happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka
said.
It was not clear how much time was
lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz,
the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the
Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far
north.
Reached by telephone, a northern
government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the
national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't
appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the
Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara
Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
January 11, 2004
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
-
Mauritanian Border Guards
We got away with paying 10 euros in
fees to the Mauritanian border guards in the Plymouth-Dakar Challenge. The real
Paris-Dakar people were not so lucky according to this article from Associated
Press (Hahahaha!!!!)
January 08, 2004
Mauritania Forces Stop Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP) -
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader, told France 2 television.
At least 100 racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers, race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the country.
French TV showed armed soldiers surrounding each car, truck and bike at the border.
"The soldiers were armed. They were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed this."
"This was the first time this ever happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka said.
It was not clear how much time was lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz, the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far north.
Reached by telephone, a northern government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Mauritania Forces Stop Paris-Dakar Racers
By AHMED MOHAMED
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATAR, Mauritania (AP) -
Racers from the famed Paris-Dakar Rally suffered a major setback of a different sort when armed security force members stopped competitors at Mauritania's border, demanding $65 from each vehicle to pass.
Border guards in Mauritania and some other countries in West Africa often try to demand illicit payments from travelers to cross frontiers. Officials believed they had taken care of the problem, but word evidently hadn't reached security forces at the border, race officials said.
"I cut the motor, and put my hands up," Hiroshi Masuoka, two-time defending champion and current leader, told France 2 television.
At least 100 racers paid, and Paris-Dakar organizers were still checking with other drivers, race spokesman Roger Kalmanovitz told The Associated Press on Thursday from the Sahara Desert in Mauritania, a nation of sand and camels on West Africa's edge.
The incident happened Wednesday, as the hundreds of truck, four-wheel-drive and cycle racers crossed into the country.
French TV showed armed soldiers surrounding each car, truck and bike at the border.
"The soldiers were armed. They were saying to each car to pay 50 euros ($65)," Masuoka said. "We discussed this."
"This was the first time this ever happened to me, so I agreed," Masuoka said.
It was not clear how much time was lost in the transactions.
Kalmanovitz, the race spokesman, said the decision to impose the passage fee upon the Paris-Dakar had come from local customs officials in the far north.
Reached by telephone, a northern government official criticized the actions by the security forces, saying the national authorities in the capital, Nouackchott, also made clear they didn't appreciate it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.
Now in its 26th year, the Paris-Dakar in 2003 crosses 6,920.4-miles, seven countries and the Sahara Desert, ending Jan. 18 outside the Senegalese capital, Dakar.
Posted at 09:38 AM
Sat
- January 10, 2004
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team
142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but
here's one time it
did
We
travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers
(one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the
Crazy Russians - Alexy and
Denise)
Our
guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of
nowhere
Mark
roof-riding across the
sand
Spencer,
Crispin and "Junior"
(Peter)
Katie
roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach
run
Alexy
the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is
getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross
dunes
The
vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except
for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and
still more nothing beyond
that
Zebrabar
camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am
after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day
we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West
Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
First Photos
Here are a few photos from the trip.
More to follow soon
Team 142 The Stuke Intruder. The Ford Capri hardly got bogged in the sand at all, but here's one time it did
We travelled in a convoy of 5 vehicles across the Sahara: Two Vauxhall Cavaliers (one petrol and one diesel), a Peugeot 505, a Ford Capri, and a Lada Niva (the Crazy Russians - Alexy and Denise)
Our guide, Ahmed, stopped to greet his cousins in their tents in the middle of nowhere
Mark roof-riding across the sand
Spencer, Crispin and "Junior" (Peter)
Katie roof-riding the Peugeot on the beach run
Alexy the "Crazy Russian" drove this Lada Niva all the way from Moscow. Here he is getting the 4-wheel drive working on New Year's Day before we set off to cross dunes
The vastness of the desert can never be photographed. There is total silence except for the occasional insect, and as far as the eye can see there is nothing, and still more nothing beyond that
Zebrabar camp in northern Senegal is an oasis of tranquility. We reached it at about 5 am after a lengthy and tedious border crossing from Mauritania. The following day we went by pirogue to the fascinating city of St Louis, one of the gems of West Africa
Posted at 08:22 PM
Fri - January 9, 2004
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It
is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home
by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a
real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can
take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of
this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress
every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world
will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the
adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you
with a picture of The Gambia's real
treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Day 22- last day in Africa - back to England tonight
Just a quick start on today's entry before I go
to work. Do go to the main P-D web site(link to the right of this page under
Categories) to see Geri's report of yesterdays events ! Click on News from the
field. Sounds fantastic!!!!! apparently one of Te Kiwi Cavaliers was on the
radio programme! It was Peter.
Here's a photo of him in front of the microphone taken by Rob Team
120
It is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you with a picture of The Gambia's real treasure.....
It is now 10.30 pm and the guys are due in to Gatwick at 11.35 pm - should be home by 12.30 - 1.00 am. I am enormously excited about seeing them but it is with a real sense of sadness that I write my last weblog entry - (Nick and the boys can take over with the firsthand stories from here.) I have felt very much a part of this great adventure and even I feel changed by it - following their progress every day and finding out about the places they visited. I am sure the world will never look quite the same to any of them again - truly, it has been 'the adventure of a lifetime.'
I leave you with a picture of The Gambia's real treasure.....
Posted at 07:19 AM
Thu - January 8, 2004
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch
22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to
drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built
to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is
now the president.
After this I think
there was going to be a bit of a
party....
Still no cell phone coverage
for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get
home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL
OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU
HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Day 21 - THEY MADE IT!!!!!
But not with much to spare! As usual, an
immaculately timed journey saw Te Kiwi Cavaliers arriving off the Barra Ferry
with only an hour or two before they were due back at the terminal to begin the
triumphal procession through the streets of Banjul. It was also planned that the
procession would go through the Arch 22, which is opened only for very important
ceremonies, then through the local area of serrekunda and into the Independence
Stadium to be welcomed by the Secretaries of State for Youth and Sports and
Tourism and Culture, the British High Commissioner and the President of the
National Olympic Committee. As well as giving the the teams a well-deserved
welcome, the event will also play an important role in raising interest in the
event which should bring more people to the auctions. (All vehicles and quite a
bit of equipment will be auctioned off for
charity.)
Arch 22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is now the president.
After this I think there was going to be a bit of a party....
Still no cell phone coverage for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Arch 22 - the impressive gateway to Banjul. However, only the President is allowed to drive under it, all other traffic must go around it on a side road! It was built to celebrate the military coup on 22nd July 1994, led by Lt Yahya Jammeh, who is now the president.
After this I think there was going to be a bit of a party....
Still no cell phone coverage for the Cavaliers, so I guess all the stories will have to wait until they get home.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE SPONSORED, DONATED, SUPPORTED, ENCOURAGED AND FOLLOWED - YOU HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC!!!!!!!
Posted at 08:45 PM
Wed - January 7, 2004
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as
early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort
today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in
Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra
ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The
Gambia. It is quite an
experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Day 20 - on the way to Banjul (in The Gambia)
No direct news from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today, but
several messages from other group one teams posted on main P-D
site.
I'm not sure they got off as early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The Gambia. It is quite an experience!
I'm not sure they got off as early as planned, but the group have been traveling in convoy with an escort today. A message received just after 9 tonight indicates that they will be in Banjul in the morning. Apparently they are making slow progress.
They will have to cross on the Barra ferry to arrive in Banjul. Nick and I did this last year when we stayed in The Gambia. It is quite an experience!
Posted at 10:28 PM
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
Day 10 - Dakhla
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
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Published On: Nov 06, 2004 07:57 AM
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