Test
In Morocco and can't get the text's to send. Very frustrating.
Dave and Phil's Africa blog
Welcome to Dave Need and Phil Gendall's blog. This is a record of our 2008/9 journey from Cornwall to Timbuktu in a 15 year-old totally unmodified Pugeot 205, as part of the Plymouth-Timbuktu Challenge (http://www.plymouth-banjul.co.uk/). Phil is a director at Gendall Design (www.gendall.co.uk), and Dave is a carpenter and boat builder. We left on boxing day 2008 from Portsmouth - and traveled to Marrakesh for New Year's Eve - then on down through Western Sahara and Mauritania, turning left somewhere and on to Mali.... and thence to Timbuktu. If you want to get the best from this blog now it's finished, go to the end and work forwards. If you want to know more about the challenge or just to get in touch email me on phil.gendall@btinternet.com Phil x
Lunch break
This nice man is mincing lamb and herbs and spices. In a minute it'll be lunch. Our first fast street food. It's ten to five - 150k to go today.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [0]
Why are we waiting?
Well it turns out the reason is that, just further than you can see, a riot happening - a kind of Moroccan teenage rampage. Two minutes later and we are in the thick of it. They made a bit of a mess of the door panels which they gave a good kicking. Seems it was all about a bit of trouble on the school bus. No need to throw rocks tho.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [0]
Ferry to Tanger, 30 Dec
The mother of all catamarans. It takes 35 minutes and we arrive in Morocco at 9.35am. Ieuan says it's just like the one that goes from Hollyhead. Andy says there's no I in team, but there is a me - whatever that means. Phil says there is also a tea. Dave has bought a coffee €1.65.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [1]
The Last Supper
Our very kind taxi driver condescended to take a photograph of eight tenths of the team. We have managed to find the only restaurant open in Tarifa (as it's the off season) and are making the most of pork on the menu before we hit Muslim cuisine... Well, anything on the menu except cous-cous and goat, come to that. All of us love all of you, btw.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [0]
And phil thinks a hi-vis jacket...
... and slinky blue latex gloves might help. Yeah right.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [0]
Tarifa, towards Cadiz
... our first sight of sand... And quite a nice little wave too.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [1]
Dave thinks he can fix anything with a hammer
But the main problem is that missing wheel.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [0]
Mission control... Tarifa Monday 29th
The two chaps on the left are bros Tom and Jack, newest team buds in a rather overspecc'd Fronterra. One organizes conferences and the other is a kid's playleader. Handy skills in a crisis in the desert. Not. Joking apart, you never know:)
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [0]
First breakdown...
The combined age of the fleet is 46 years... so not surprising. 205 battery warming light signifies alternator problem. Team of intrepid engineer, carpenter, HGV driver, mathematician, designer and electrician put heads together more effectively than that managed with the map reading. Quick and effective diagnosis, nifty fix and we're back on the track, jack. If we are lucky we'll be at Tarifa by 1am. Gruelling. The team has been tested, and proved not to be wanting. Awrite.
Posted by TimbukTwoOhFive
Comments [1]
Comments [0]