2011
27
paź
The fortres
Maroko, Le Frontier
Przejechano 17526 km
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The 5-day-cycle from Nouakchott against the wind wasn't as much difficult as I was expecting. I managed to do it in time I wanted to do it. The stops to drink some water were very often and very friendly Gendarmerie policemen were very kind to let me sleep at the posts and cook on their gas stoves. It was very mild if compared to this what was to come on Moroccan side. The Mauritanian desert is ebullient as opposed to Morocco.
There is a lot of Nomads herding their camels and camping close to road. From time to time there were some trees. The closer Moroccan border was, the more the desert was getting like real Hamada, which was ahead. Strong wind was blowing from the north, which slowed me down to 9 km/h. When I arrived, all the paper work went very fast. Full of joy, I started making my last km up to the civilisation. The road is something like "no road" but makeshift track. In some places it was quite confusing. I entered the Moroccan side through a huge gate.
What? Do they have a King Kong here - I thought.
Everywhere were walls, wires and fences. It looked if they were ready for an invasion! There were a few guys doing money exchange business and a few dogs running around before I entered. You can see a fortress while crossing the border (no photographs taken, easy to guess the reasons). Yes, this is the place where Africa, as many people know it, finishes and the more civilised world starts. Somebody might think..... Stretch of no man’s land full of mines, chaotic roads and a huge fort on Moroccan side. This was something more than just a border crossing. These are two worlds: the civilisation and the barbarians. The question came to my head, ‘Why all this "safety" measures between two Muslims republic? Doesn’t look like they like each other? Or maybe they do not like the rest of Africa?’
I believe that the reasons are more simple, of course. Morocco is occupying West Sahara and the fences and land mines are to make sure that guerrilla fighters won’t get from Mauretania. But it makes difference; just on another side there are two very good restaurants and shops with more varied choice than any other in the biggest cities of Mauretania. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I do not care, the most important is that I'm out of the worst part of Africa, from malaria, from paradox, poverty, begging kids, annoying people, horrible heat and so on. With pleasure, I'm putting on my pullover because of the first chill in the evening. The formalities took some time, because there was no connection and computers didn't work. Before the dark finally came, I was given an entry stamp and went out of this massive fortress. I was happy like a child. I picked up my passport and put into a carrier bag and then I enjoyed my first Tadzin in Morocco and a cup of sweet tea. I knew it was the end of one story and another just began. The wind which has been blowing from the North will be harassing me for another 1500 km. With no mercy, I will be battling this enemy for the next two weeks hearing nothing but evil shriek in my ears and seeing nothing than Hamada; with few exceptions, of course. Cycling south is a pleasure, going north is a horror. Let's go then, there is no time to lose. 
The 5-day-cycle from Nouakchott against the wind wasn't as much difficult as I was expecting. I managed to do it in time I wanted to do it. The stops to drink some water were very often and very friendly Gendarmerie policemen were very kind to let me sleep at the posts and cook on their gas stoves. It was very mild if compared to this what was to come on Moroccan side. The Mauritanian desert is ebullient as opposed to Morocco.
There is a lot of Nomads herding their camels and camping close to road. From time to time there were some trees. The closer Moroccan border was, the more the desert was getting like real Hamada, which was ahead. Strong wind was blowing from the north, which slowed me down to 9 km/h. When I arrived, all the paper work went very fast. Full of joy, I started making my last km up to the civilisation. The road is something like "no road" but makeshift track. In some places it was quite confusing. I entered the Moroccan side through a huge gate.
What? Do they have a King Kong here - I thought.
Everywhere were walls, wires and fences. It looked if they were ready for an invasion! There were a few guys doing money exchange business and a few dogs running around before I entered. You can see a fortress while crossing the border (no photographs taken, easy to guess the reasons). Yes, this is the place where Africa, as many people know it, finishes and the more civilised world starts. Somebody might think..... Stretch of no man’s land full of mines, chaotic roads and a huge fort on Moroccan side. This was something more than just a border crossing. These are two worlds: the civilisation and the barbarians. The question came to my head, ‘Why all this "safety" measures between two Muslims republic? Doesn’t look like they like each other? Or maybe they do not like the rest of Africa?’
I believe that the reasons are more simple, of course. Morocco is occupying West Sahara and the fences and land mines are to make sure that guerrilla fighters won’t get from Mauretania. But it makes difference; just on another side there are two very good restaurants and shops with more varied choice than any other in the biggest cities of Mauretania. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I do not care, the most important is that I'm out of the worst part of Africa, from malaria, from paradox, poverty, begging kids, annoying people, horrible heat and so on. With pleasure, I'm putting on my pullover because of the first chill in the evening. The formalities took some time, because there was no connection and computers didn't work. Before the dark finally came, I was given an entry stamp and went out of this massive fortress. I was happy like a child. I picked up my passport and put into a carrier bag and then I enjoyed my first Tadzin in Morocco and a cup of sweet tea. I knew it was the end of one story and another just began. The wind which has been blowing from the North will be harassing me for another 1500 km. With no mercy, I will be battling this enemy for the next two weeks hearing nothing but evil shriek in my ears and seeing nothing than Hamada; with few exceptions, of course. Cycling south is a pleasure, going north is a horror. Let's go then, there is no time to lose.
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