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
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)
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
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
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
Mon - January 12, 2004
We Made It!!
We said farewell to our Vauxhall
Cavalier outside the Safari Garden Hotel in Serrekunda on Friday 9 January 2004
just before going to the airport.
The car was sold at auction on Saturday 10
January. Here we are lined up for a final photo, from left: Spencer, Nick,
Crispin and
Peter
Posted at 11:31 AM
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.
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.....
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!!!!!!!
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!
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
Tue - January 6, 2004
Day 19 - still in Senegal - "chilling!"
I have to admit to being a tad worried when there
was no advance on yesterday's news from any of Group One all morning. Then at
lunchtime a cheerful message from team Red Spider confirmed that they were still
at the Zebrabar Camp and all well and
happy.
A bit later I received e-mails from both Nick and Spencer.
Crossing the border:
"The border crossing from Mauritania into Senegal at the Barrage de Diama was the most stressful bit of the trip: but not really that bad just long and tiring without much food.....A bit of a nightmare: left Nouakchott at about 8.30 am on Sunday and got to Zebrabar Camp at about 5.00 am next morning. Cost us 25 Euros to get out of Mauritania and another 105 to get into Senegal. They have attached a police escort to make sure we leave the country with the cars and we have to travel in a convoy of about 25 vehicles, all very tricky stuff. Anyway we are not leaving the camp until about 7.30 am tomorrow;Wednesday." Nick
.... "worst border I've even dreamt of." Spencer
Nick reports that all is well with the car and all of them. Peter has a cold and had a tummy upset at Christmas otherwise it has all gone very very smoothly ( except the border crossing.) "The desert crossing was unbelievably fantastic." Nick.
They are really enjoying the relaxing camp at the Zebrabar. The owners turned on a big BBQ dinner for everyone last night though they were too tired to enjoy it as much as they might have. There is a river for swimming, very cheap beer and sunshine - so no complaints!
Spencer really likes St Louis, observing that it seems like a place really worth coming back to, so lovely after the hardships of further North.
"Mauritania basically made me want to cry, bout as poor as u can get without famine and some of it must have been damn close." Spencer
He's still not smoking , but will run out of his nicotine patches early as they kept falling off in the desert. ( Apparently he was quite a sight with insulation tape around him trying to keep the things on!)
No particular news of Crispin so I can only assume he is coping with whatever it is that life is throwing at him, playing frisbee and hakky, drumming, enjoying cold beer and of course - smiling!
They got a pirogue (perhaps like the one below) into town this morning - very relaxing.
A bit later I received e-mails from both Nick and Spencer.
Crossing the border:
"The border crossing from Mauritania into Senegal at the Barrage de Diama was the most stressful bit of the trip: but not really that bad just long and tiring without much food.....A bit of a nightmare: left Nouakchott at about 8.30 am on Sunday and got to Zebrabar Camp at about 5.00 am next morning. Cost us 25 Euros to get out of Mauritania and another 105 to get into Senegal. They have attached a police escort to make sure we leave the country with the cars and we have to travel in a convoy of about 25 vehicles, all very tricky stuff. Anyway we are not leaving the camp until about 7.30 am tomorrow;Wednesday." Nick
.... "worst border I've even dreamt of." Spencer
Nick reports that all is well with the car and all of them. Peter has a cold and had a tummy upset at Christmas otherwise it has all gone very very smoothly ( except the border crossing.) "The desert crossing was unbelievably fantastic." Nick.
They are really enjoying the relaxing camp at the Zebrabar. The owners turned on a big BBQ dinner for everyone last night though they were too tired to enjoy it as much as they might have. There is a river for swimming, very cheap beer and sunshine - so no complaints!
Spencer really likes St Louis, observing that it seems like a place really worth coming back to, so lovely after the hardships of further North.
"Mauritania basically made me want to cry, bout as poor as u can get without famine and some of it must have been damn close." Spencer
He's still not smoking , but will run out of his nicotine patches early as they kept falling off in the desert. ( Apparently he was quite a sight with insulation tape around him trying to keep the things on!)
No particular news of Crispin so I can only assume he is coping with whatever it is that life is throwing at him, playing frisbee and hakky, drumming, enjoying cold beer and of course - smiling!
They got a pirogue (perhaps like the one below) into town this morning - very relaxing.
Posted at 08:37 PM
Mon - January 5, 2004
Day 18 - short shift from Senegal?
One very brief message received from the
Cavaliers via a borrowed phone today confirming that "all's well" and that
contact will be made from the Gambia. Messages on the main site indicate that
some teams didn't get to the Zebrabar until 6 am this morning (after a 10 hour
border crossing) and that they were expecting to be picked up at midday to be
"escorted" right through Senegal to The Gambia.
Does this mean they will not get to stop in Senegal? Why? There will be some very tired people and even more tired vehicles if this is the case, but will mean a few more days of leisure in The Gambia. Can't wait to hear more.
Some images of Senegal......
Baobub trees.
Does this mean they will not get to stop in Senegal? Why? There will be some very tired people and even more tired vehicles if this is the case, but will mean a few more days of leisure in The Gambia. Can't wait to hear more.
Some images of Senegal......
Baobub trees.
Posted at 08:45 PM
Day 17 - Mauritania/Senegal border
What a day!!!!!
No direct news from the Cavaliers. Go to the main P-D site for 'updates from the field" to see messages from a few group 1 teams. There is a link to this site on the right of this page at the bottom under "Categories".
Sounds like they were all still at the border very late at night, with their wallets lighter, but perhaps nearly there.
Posted at 06:54 AM
Sat - January 3, 2004
Day 16 - communication.... and safely in Nouakchott
Received very brief phone call from Nick around
11am. They were in Nouakchott - safe and well! May go on as far as St Louis in
Senegal tonight. Still no cell phone coverage expected until they are in
Senegal.
Reading various accounts of previous expeditions I know they can expect a tough time at the Senegalese border with incredibly aggressive hustlers and demands for all sorts of extra payments.
3.00pm. E-mail from Nick:
" We got to Nouakchott last night, and are staying one more night before we try the difficult border crossing into Senegal . We've done 300 miles offroad in the desert. The car is still going well, but we lost our rear muffler. Peter approves of the extra noise.No problems for us otherwise. One of our group of 5 bust a fuel line in a diesel, and the Russians did a head gasket in their Lada. But, we're all here. The desert was better than any of us imagined. Am taking the lads out for a cheap meal tonight. Not sure if the phone will work in Senegal but will try and text then. Everything in Mauritanie is filled with dust ... amazing that these computers actually work!"
A busy street in Nouakchott....... and a wonderful picture taken in the desert near Nouakchott.....
I also found a website with some beautiful images of the area - go to www.garycook.co.uk
Reading various accounts of previous expeditions I know they can expect a tough time at the Senegalese border with incredibly aggressive hustlers and demands for all sorts of extra payments.
3.00pm. E-mail from Nick:
" We got to Nouakchott last night, and are staying one more night before we try the difficult border crossing into Senegal . We've done 300 miles offroad in the desert. The car is still going well, but we lost our rear muffler. Peter approves of the extra noise.No problems for us otherwise. One of our group of 5 bust a fuel line in a diesel, and the Russians did a head gasket in their Lada. But, we're all here. The desert was better than any of us imagined. Am taking the lads out for a cheap meal tonight. Not sure if the phone will work in Senegal but will try and text then. Everything in Mauritanie is filled with dust ... amazing that these computers actually work!"
A busy street in Nouakchott....... and a wonderful picture taken in the desert near Nouakchott.....
I also found a website with some beautiful images of the area - go to www.garycook.co.uk
Posted at 02:57 PM
Day 15 - out of the desert? ( Jan. 2nd )
One message pasted on the main Plymouth -Dakar
site today...
"Group 1 is apparently out of the desert. First known casualty is Gerryatrick Frogs with a clutch failure. Car abandoned, Crew are fit and well and travelling with others. We would expect Group 1 to reach Nouakchott tomorrow (where they might come back into GSM mobile phone coverage)"
So... suggests Kiwi Cavaliers are O.K. and will probably be covering the last part of the beach route to Nouakchott tomorrow (see photo below). I will update as soon as I hear from them tomorrow.
"Group 1 is apparently out of the desert. First known casualty is Gerryatrick Frogs with a clutch failure. Car abandoned, Crew are fit and well and travelling with others. We would expect Group 1 to reach Nouakchott tomorrow (where they might come back into GSM mobile phone coverage)"
So... suggests Kiwi Cavaliers are O.K. and will probably be covering the last part of the beach route to Nouakchott tomorrow (see photo below). I will update as soon as I hear from them tomorrow.
Posted at 02:13 PM
Fri - January 2, 2004
Day 14 - New Year's Day -somewhere near Nouamghar?
I'm just guessing really! This is about where I
think they will be today. The route passes through the Banc D'Arquin National
Park.
Nouamghar is the point at the end of the yellow dotty bit, about half way between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott.
A snippet about Nouamghar......
Nouamghar is a special kind of fishing village. Here the Imragen use strange techniques to catch fish. They strike the water with wooden sticks and then the dolphins come closer to the coast, driving smaller fish into the nest of the fishermen.
Nouamghar is about 155 kilometer north of Nouakchott, on the beach "road" to the Banc d'Arguin.
Above is a photo I found of part of this run down the coast on the beach between Nouamghar and Nouakchott - I'm not sure whether they will get that far today or whether it will be tomorrow they do this. As you can see, the sand dunes are very steep, so you have to be very careful about tides - there is nowhere safe to park a car at high tide!
Below is another image taken somewhere near Nouamghar ..... getting water from a well.
Nouamghar is the point at the end of the yellow dotty bit, about half way between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott.
A snippet about Nouamghar......
Nouamghar is a special kind of fishing village. Here the Imragen use strange techniques to catch fish. They strike the water with wooden sticks and then the dolphins come closer to the coast, driving smaller fish into the nest of the fishermen.
Nouamghar is about 155 kilometer north of Nouakchott, on the beach "road" to the Banc d'Arguin.
Above is a photo I found of part of this run down the coast on the beach between Nouamghar and Nouakchott - I'm not sure whether they will get that far today or whether it will be tomorrow they do this. As you can see, the sand dunes are very steep, so you have to be very careful about tides - there is nowhere safe to park a car at high tide!
Below is another image taken somewhere near Nouamghar ..... getting water from a well.
Posted at 09:47 AM
Thu - January 1, 2004
Day I3 - New Year's Eve in the Sahara.
As expected, no contact today from the Kiwi
Cavaliers or any of the other Group One teams. Hopefully they will have safely
crossed the Mauritanian border and be celebrating the New Year on a sand
dune.......somewhwere.
Posted at 01:55 AM
Tue - December 30, 2003
Day 12- heading for Nouadhibou.
Kiwi Cavaliers sent last text message for next 3
or 4 days. They were on the road south in convoy from Dakhla, heading to
Nouadhibou tonight. 300 miles of very rough road. Many army and police
checkpoints.
(A picture I found of somewhere in Nouadhibou.)
(A picture I found of somewhere in Nouadhibou.)
Posted at 07:34 PM
Mon - December 29, 2003
Day 11 - Dakhla and preparations for Mauritania
An unusual day communication-wise. Cavaliers have
been unable to receive my texts although I have received theirs, plus an e-mail
and the luxury of a phone call from Nick this evening! I may get another text in
the morning but then expect to be out of range for the next 3-4 days. Another
phone charger has been purchased for the equivalent of one pound twenty so
here's hoping.
Today has largely been spent stocking up on provisions and getting prepared for the next, and most challenging, part of the journey. At 3pm all the teams gathered for a meeting and sorted out their convoys of 5 teams to travel with for the next few days.
The horse (car) is going perfectly. May have knocked a hole in the exhaust pipe but not "mission critical". Yesterday tested out the sand ladders on a beach - deeply bogged in soft sand. They are, apparently, 'crap'. 8 truckies helped push them out - looks like they will be in for some serious digging later on. (Good for the biceps, chaps!)
The three younger Cavaliers are reportedly well and enjoying themselves. Spencer is still not smoking! (Way to go Spence!)
Nick reports that the trip down across the desert so far has been stunning." Northern Morocco was great but It has got better and better as we move South. Being in the Sahara is absolutely awesome!"
An early start tomorrow.
(WHY did I stay home? This sounds so amazing. I have a nasty suspicion it is going to lodge in my memory with the occasion in 1973 when I chose to stay home and write an essay instead of going to the Santana concert in Christchurch {NZ} !!!!!) Sally.
Today has largely been spent stocking up on provisions and getting prepared for the next, and most challenging, part of the journey. At 3pm all the teams gathered for a meeting and sorted out their convoys of 5 teams to travel with for the next few days.
The horse (car) is going perfectly. May have knocked a hole in the exhaust pipe but not "mission critical". Yesterday tested out the sand ladders on a beach - deeply bogged in soft sand. They are, apparently, 'crap'. 8 truckies helped push them out - looks like they will be in for some serious digging later on. (Good for the biceps, chaps!)
The three younger Cavaliers are reportedly well and enjoying themselves. Spencer is still not smoking! (Way to go Spence!)
Nick reports that the trip down across the desert so far has been stunning." Northern Morocco was great but It has got better and better as we move South. Being in the Sahara is absolutely awesome!"
An early start tomorrow.
(WHY did I stay home? This sounds so amazing. I have a nasty suspicion it is going to lodge in my memory with the occasion in 1973 when I chose to stay home and write an essay instead of going to the Santana concert in Christchurch {NZ} !!!!!) Sally.
Posted at 06:08 PM
Sun - December 28, 2003
Day 10 - Dakhla
Kiwi Cavaliers are at the camp in Dakhla
tonight. They will be there two days as the whole group assemble before
negotiating the Mauritanian border on Tuesday. They have driven through many
miles of desert today but no details as yet - they are still having to conserve
the phone
battery.
Posted at 05:09 PM
Sat - December 27, 2003
Day 9 - Sidi Ifni to Laayoune?
Reports received from Te Kiwi Cavaliers today
indicate they are having a good time.....
At about 11,15 am their time they were driving in convoy with the Desert Vikings, roughly 100kms north of Tan Tan with beautiful weather and good driving conditions. They had nominated the Desert Vikings for Move of Te Day for overtaking 2 lorries on gravel verge not suitable for landrovers , leaving Cavaliers skidded out sideways with 6 in convoy behind! Methinks the kiwis need to educate the poms about gravel roads, or maybe not!
The "stay-at-home Cavalier" claimed own Move of Te Day for grabbing bargain towels in John Lewis sale in front of convoy of thousands!
Cavaliers camping tonight 20 kms South of Laayoune with about 10 others. Still having phone problems. So much to tell but limited texting each day at the moment. Now in real desert with lots of dunes and camels! Nick feels as though he is really in Africa at last.
At about 11,15 am their time they were driving in convoy with the Desert Vikings, roughly 100kms north of Tan Tan with beautiful weather and good driving conditions. They had nominated the Desert Vikings for Move of Te Day for overtaking 2 lorries on gravel verge not suitable for landrovers , leaving Cavaliers skidded out sideways with 6 in convoy behind! Methinks the kiwis need to educate the poms about gravel roads, or maybe not!
The "stay-at-home Cavalier" claimed own Move of Te Day for grabbing bargain towels in John Lewis sale in front of convoy of thousands!
Cavaliers camping tonight 20 kms South of Laayoune with about 10 others. Still having phone problems. So much to tell but limited texting each day at the moment. Now in real desert with lots of dunes and camels! Nick feels as though he is really in Africa at last.
Posted at 06:13 PM
Fri - December 26, 2003
Day 8 - Boxing Day
Kiwi Cavaliers left Marrakesh this morning, after
nice hot showers (had by turning on cold tap)-probably the last for a while.
Heading for Agadir. Other team members reported some consternation about the
size of the potholes on the road but no complaints received from the stalwart
Kiwis - yet!
Text received - team staying in Sidi Infi, about 200km south of Agadir, in cheap doss. Having Christmas dinner tonight. Peter OK. Currently sitting on roof terrace bar listening to atlantic breakers while waiting for dinner at hotel on cliffs. (Sounds good to the anchorwoman at home!)
Text received - team staying in Sidi Infi, about 200km south of Agadir, in cheap doss. Having Christmas dinner tonight. Peter OK. Currently sitting on roof terrace bar listening to atlantic breakers while waiting for dinner at hotel on cliffs. (Sounds good to the anchorwoman at home!)
Posted at 06:27 PM
Thu - December 25, 2003
Days 6 and Day 7 (Christmas Day) - Marrakech
The team arrived in Marrakesh in good time on
Christmas Eve, with the annoyance of a broken cell phone charger. Took a taxi
into town from the campsite and reported having lovely evening meal. Also
reported ' using variety of bargaining &
swapping techniques to aquire interesting things.' Apparently the campsite is
really good with doves and peacocks. All 4 team members managed to get
themselves into a phone box to wish Sally a Happy
Christmas!
A quiet day planned for Christmas Day, catching up on washing etc. Maybe Christmas dinner/party? with other teams later on. Peter has the inevitable upset stomach, poor fellow.
A quiet day planned for Christmas Day, catching up on washing etc. Maybe Christmas dinner/party? with other teams later on. Peter has the inevitable upset stomach, poor fellow.
Posted at 07:22 PM
Tue - December 23, 2003
Day 5 - In Africa! Camping at Rabat.
The Cavaliers and lots of other teams crossed on
a "rather wobbly" ferry to Cueta this morning. Got through the Moroccan border -
visas, insurance, car registration and cleared customs. Camping the night at
Sale near Rabat. All well. Peter cooked pasta for tea and they've got a fire
burning.
Posted at 10:15 PM
Mon - December 22, 2003
Day 4 - Sotogrande (and Gibraltar)
Rest day today - a bit of sightseeing in
Gibraltar. Another night in
Sotogrande
Posted at 10:00 PM
Sun - December 21, 2003
Day 3 - to Sotogrande
Kiwi cavaliers made great progress today,
traveling from Burgos to Sotogrande to meet up with many other group one teams.
A well-deserved rest day tomorrow. Look at the spot they are
in!
With its wonderful natural surroundings of more than 4,500 acres of beautiful Andalusian countryside and mountains, and just 25 minutes away from Marbella, Sotogrande offers you the opportunity to enjoy its unique life and style.
With its wonderful natural surroundings of more than 4,500 acres of beautiful Andalusian countryside and mountains, and just 25 minutes away from Marbella, Sotogrande offers you the opportunity to enjoy its unique life and style.
Posted at 09:38 PM
Sat - December 20, 2003
Day 2 - Burgos, Northern Spain
Tonight Te Kiwi Cavaliers have made it to Burgos
in Northern Spain. Apparently sipping a local cervesa (pronounced
"thervaytha"), or beer, called San Miguel, in this lovely old city, famed for
its beautiful
cathedral.
Posted at 08:29 PM
Fri - December 19, 2003
Day one.. Surbiton to Poitiers
Te Kiwi Cavaliers left Surbiton this morning only
minutes behind schedule. Peter had not been to bed at all, having worked last
night and was uncharacteristically wide awake early in the morning! Spencer did
a great job securing the load on the roof rack, glad to have a task to hand on
day one of giving up smoking. Fortified by a Sally cooked breakfast, they set
off, passing the Grove Tavern with a blast on the triple air
horns!
Have just received texts confirming their arrival in Poitiers (not Bordeaux as planned). Adventures, or misadventures, already - apparently they got lost twice in fog! Currently eating pizza and quaffing vin rouge.
Have just received texts confirming their arrival in Poitiers (not Bordeaux as planned). Adventures, or misadventures, already - apparently they got lost twice in fog! Currently eating pizza and quaffing vin rouge.
Posted at 09:50 PM
Thu - December 18, 2003
Flight Plan to France
Te Kiwi Cavaliers are due to lift off from
Surbiton at 0712 on Friday morning. The flight plan takes us over south-east
England. We plan to go supersonic as we pass The Grove Tavern. Residents are
advised that the triple air-horns will be sounded. Take to your bunkers
chaps.... HERE WE GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted at 09:00 PM
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Published On: Dec 16, 2004 05:07 PM
Published On: Dec 16, 2004 05:07 PM