Deserts - then the Greenery of Senegal and The Gambia
After leaving Morocco I arrived in Mauritania. There is only one main highway, which runs from north to south. There are also two smaller highways, one in the north to Atar and one in the south to Nema. Other than that, Mauritania is all desert. The hardest part of riding north to south is boredom. Its okay for the first hour but after a day of riding with nothing but desert either side of the road really does challenge your imagination. Besides that, Mauritania has its own charm and I really like it and will return. especially the people, who are so friendly and helpful.
Crossing from Mauritania to Senegal isn't easy. The 20 mile stretch of road which crosses the border isn't a road - just heavily pitted and rutted dirt. After that, all was good. First I stayed in the north of Senegal and then I headed to Dakar. After that I went down to The Gambia. Its only a small country, around 200 miles long and 60 miles high, but I rode around the whole country - which is easy as there is only one highway. Leaving The Gambia and back into Senegal, I stayed in the marshlands of the Saloum Delta. I really enjoyed Senega and The Gambia. It was hard at times, especially with the heat, but it was worth the mileage.
Before I left for this trip I decided to use my phone instead of a camera, and I'm glad I made this decision. Wherever I go, I always go walkabout as it's the only way to see a country. Wherever I went on this trip I always felt secure using a mobile phone to take my pictures instead of a camera. Why..? Because everyone has a phone, and when you see someone take a picture with a phone - its normal. But, as soon as you pull out a proper camera, especially if its a poor or dodgy area - quite quickly people start to act differently, and you may even become a possible target.
iPhone 11