The 2009 Journey

Gambia 2009

Mauritania has always been a place our foreign office have said not to travel through, unfortunately a detour around the country is not a feasible plan. When people volunteered for this trip, I told them they were risking their lives for more than one reason. I also told them that when Sue and I went into Mauritania in December 2007, four French tourists were shot on the same road. The FO also tell you never to drive at night in Africa, this is due to there being no MOT test in Africa, and as people approach you they will be on full beam, the other danger is that people will be driving with no lights whatsoever and you approach them at 50 m.p.h. The roads are also very narrow and it appears as if there is only six inches between you when you pass. Africans also have a bad habit of suddenly switching to main beam/spots at the last minute - suddenly you are blinded. Even worse is the fact that pedestrians use the roads and motorways and they dress all in black! This year, due to 3 Spaniards getting kidnapped on the Nouakchott - Nouadhibou Road, the FO stated that it was unadvisable for UK citizens to travel into Mauritania. This caused an uproar in the camp and two people “dropped out” the Thursday before we left.

Day One: Sunday 20th December 2009

The Vehicles:

  • T560 KAB LDV CONVOY 400 LWB van (Tail end Charlie)
  • W473 KBD  LDV CONVOY high roof mini bus (Green Goddess)
  • V498 SNV  LDVConvoy High roof (Banana bus)
  • W784 XCE LDV CONVOY high roof mini bus (Balloon Bus)
  • P132 KBL LDV CONVOY low roof mini bus (Neils on Wheels)
  • Y144 JNK LDV CONVOY high roof mini bus (Lead Vehicle)
  • M858UKE VW Golf
  • Rascal Van converted to trailer

Initially I was going to be the first vehicle in the convoy but, as I was the only mechanic, I had to be Tail end Charlie, especially as I had all the tools. It was actually proven on the way to Plymouth and again in Spain.

Brief Outline

15 people (Sue & Dave Connellan, Tanya Gledhill & Dale Bradley, Neil Carey & Neil Raw, Neil Neath (Skinny), Andrew Moseley & Jason Owen, Dave Taylor & Simon Gisborne, Trevor Gibb & Ewan Thomas, Chris Worton and Tina Barton), in 5 LDV Mini busses and an LDV Van towing a VW Golf and a Blue trailer, Departed from St Peter’s Church at 06:30 - after Bacon “Butties” and a packed lunch we headed off in convoy towards Plymouth.

Vehicle convoy order:

  1. Andrew Moseley & Jason Owen & Skinny ( Lead Vehicle & Blue Trailer)
  2. Tanya Gledhill & Dale Bradley (Balloon Bus)
  3. Dave Taylor & Simon Gisborne & Chris Worton (Banana Bus)
  4. Trevor Gibb & Ewan Thomas (Green Goddess)
  5. Neil Carey & Neil Raw & Tina Barton (Neil on Wheels)
  6. Sue & Dave Connellan (Tail end Charlie & VW Golf)
  • There were a lot of people family and friends waving us off. 46 miles later - first breakdown - fan belt adjustment on “Neil’s on Wheels” Bus - P132KBL.
  • Convoy to Plymouth poor. It was just a “mad dash” for the ferry. Not a real problem as it was only one road and everyone had a mobile phone, the other plus was everyone had a chance to get some confidence in their bus.
  • CB radios were not working very well.
  • Not very happy with the light weight “A” Frame we are using to tow the golf - it is impossible to reverse with, and when on full lock makes awful noises and flexes! Vow to change it as soon as we can.
  • Arrived at Plymouth on time and boarded Ferry. On the ferry I gave each crew some Euros to pay for Fuel and tolls. Each crew had a little red book to account for expenditure.

Day Two: Monday 21st December 2009

  • “A” frame problems, had no choice but to change the frame for the spare good quality emergency one on the roof. Only Fault with this on is that the straps are poor. What a difference we can now tow and feel confident. Put old light weight “A” frame in boot of Golf!
  • Headed for South of Madrid for the Hotel Navarilino. All went reasonably well until we stopped for fuel, then the lead vehicle Y144JNK went off towards Burgos and the convoy split.
  • Half the vehicles went the scenic route and half followed the lead bus. Again, not too much of a problem, but needed addressing. Everyone arrived safely.
  • Convoy to Madrid poor. Arrived at hotel at 2300hrs, had a “discussion” with Andy over convoy drill etc.

Day Three: Tuesday 22nd December 2009

  • Woke early to be on the road at 0600hrs. We needed to reach Tarifa for 1400hrs. We had approximately 400 miles to cover! A long way in one day for these old vehicles.
  • On route the “Banana Bus” would not go very fast and was dropping behind - we decided to send the rest of the convoy ahead and if we had to, we would cross after the main group. I added a Forte Fuel additive to his fuel tank and topped his very low engine oil up. After 50 miles or so, his van picked up and managed to cruise at 65m.p.h.
  • Convoy to Tarifa really good and the CB radios were working really well. 
  • Approaching the port of Tarifa on time for the ferry was a great feeling. However, all Ferries had been cancelled due to Bad weather! We were told that there probably would not be a ferry for three-four days. We were advised to go to Algeciras and maybe get a ferry to Ceuta.
  • On Route over the hills towards Algeciras two vehicles had over heating problems, both were viscous fan faults. We topped up the coolant systems and drove to the ferry port. No ferries weather bad. We went to a hotel I had stayed in before.
  • I called an evening meeting and told everyone that if they were coming all the way to The Gambia no problem, the charity would pay the hotel costs. If not they will need to leave the convoy tomorrow. Four people - Ewan Thomas, Trevor Gibb, Tanya Gledhill & Dale Bradley opted to leave. They were predominately worried about the Mauritanian danger. We now had 11 drivers (Sue & Dave Connellan, Neil Carey & Neil Raw, Skinny, Andrew Moseley & Jason Owen, Dave Taylor & Simon Gisborne, Chris Worton and Tina Barton, and 6 vehicles, by my calculations were one man short. - Skinny was on his own!

Day Four: Wednesday 23rd December 2009 

  • Drove to the ferry terminal at Algeciras to see if we could get a ferry - no chance weather awful. Stayed until lunch time and then decided to go to the large car park at Gibraltar - to try to fix the vehicles and decide our next movements - no ferries for 3 days. At the car park we took the thermostat out of the lead vehicle, and removed the fan from the golf to try and fit it to the LDV. The weather was really bad, blowing a gale and raining.
  • We decided to drive to Soto Grande about 15 mile up the coast to a hotel that was a lot cheaper than last nights efforts.
  • Met the 4 leaving members on the car park. They had been to Gibraltar for a visit. They were flying back to the UK from Malaga. Drove to the Hotel in Soto Grande . 

Day Five: Thursday 24th December 2009

  • We all went to Gibraltar in the balloon bus, there was flood water everywhere and the trees were bent due to the wind force. I had forgotten to pack my Bible so thought this would be a good opportunity to get one, - no book shop on Gibraltar sold any! So I called into the local Methodist church and they kindly opened their shop and sold me one - we also found out that the Christmas Day service was at 11 o'clock.
  • Found an internet café and printed off all our ferry information.
  • Got back to Soto Grande at about 1700hrs.
  • Went to the Irish Pub for a meal and found that Christmas Lunch was available so we all booked for 1400hrs. 

 Day Six: Friday 25th December 2009 

  • Went to Gibraltar to church, weather was really good, we chose to walk the mile to the Methodist Church.
  • Tina picked up a chap “Joseph” who was sleeping rough and persuaded him to come to church with us.
  • On the walk back, there was torrential rain, gale force winds and really cold. Everyone got drenched! When I got back to the bus woe and behold “Joseph” was in the bus - He was invited for Lunch!
  • Lunch was really good and we had a really quiet day, we found out later that one ferry had gone to Ceuta Christmas morning.

Day Seven: Saturday 26th December 2009 

  • Woke up and the weather was really good, we decided to pack up and go to Tarifa to get a ferry! Optimists! We arrived at Tarifa and the weather was awful - torrential rain, gale force winds. As we went towards the parking area, the strap on the “A” frame broke, it could not have broken in a better place and at a slower speed. I was travelling at less than 5m.p.h . We then made one good frame out of the two.
  • Shame about the weather - I got absolutely soaked. We parked up and found a hotel in Tarifa.

 Day Eight: Sunday 27th December 2009

  • Woke up, weather was fine, we went to the ferry and managed to get booked on the 0930 ferry! Two busses got on and the rest were left - We waved a tearful farewell to the Neil on Wheels (Neil Carey & Neil Raw) and the Green Goddess (Tina & Chris Worton)- would we ever see them alive again?
  • The rest of us got the next ferry, which was surprisingly bumpy and Sue was unfortunately sea sick. By the time we arrived in Tangier (1200hrs) they were still not through customs and were waiting on the quayside.
  • Sorting the paperwork was tedious, eventually customs let the Balloon Bus (Skinny) and the Banana Bus (Dave & Simon) through and every one else was sent to a waiting area. We told them to head for Rabat and find us a hotel.
  • While all this was going on a police man asked me for a present, I gave him a red T shirt. They did not like the map of Morocco it was too small! U.K was too big! We removed the decals from the van. After nearly two hours, no one had come to sort us out. So I went to find out why. Apparently the gendarme and the police were the problem. I went and found the Gendarme and they said no problem.
  • I then went looking for the police - amazingly the policeman I had given the T-shirt to was in charge. He took me to the head of customs, they had a huge argument we were then put in line. Paperwork was missing - customs had lost it. I again spoke to my policeman friend, who again had a discussion with customs, two of us had to go upstairs, and then one hour later we all left the port.
  • We stopped to change our Euros to the Dirham - everyone was told. More later. Then we headed to Rabat! Only 160 miles or so, and mainly Motorway.
  • First mechanical problem, the Lead Vehicle, had a brake problem the offside front was seizing on. I clamped the hose so that he did not have any brakes on that wheel.
  • At the toll station the Green Goddess was waved to a car park on the right hand side of the road, Tina had to hand her passport in, the reason, they did not change any money as they thought it would be to expensive. I gave Tina some Dirham’s and away we went!
  • We arrived at Rabat at the Hotel chosen by Skinny & Dave Taylor. There was no parking and we had 6 * LDV long vehicles, a blue trailer and a VW Golf! On the plus side, The Hotel was only 2km from the Mauritanian Embassy. It was also in the centre of Rabat. The only parking was on the side of the road.
  • We parked up, wherever we could, and had to move the vans later that evening 2200hrs and then 4 of the vehicles were looked after by the parking attendant, the other two get getting clamped - 40 Dirham release fee or 5 Dirham for 12 hours.

Day Nine: Monday 28th December 2009

  • We had breakfast and were all at the Mauritanian Embassy for 0830hrs, there was already a queue, it was like a rugby scrum! Everyone had to pay 340Dirham each for a Visa application, - It was an interesting experience trying to get into this tiny room and hand in your passport and two forms with 2 passport photographs, they give the forms out, outside at the embassy. We had taken copies of old forms, but they had changed. We also heard a rumour that the passports would be ready at 2100hrs, we were cynical to say the least! On the receipt, it states that the passport will be ready at 1500hrs the next day!
  • We handed in the application and Jason, Sue & I got a Taxi to the Hotel and arranged to take the two overheating Busses to a garage - we needed to sort out the viscous fans and also the brake problem. I did not have any power tools. The garage mechanic, came to the hotel and guided us to their garage. We negotiated a price to fit new callipers (we had them “just in case”) and to modify the viscous fans to permanent drive - he had never seen this before.
  • 3 hours later we drove back to the Hotel. Neil Carey & Neil Raw went to the embassy at 2100hrs and unbelievably the Visa’s were ready. 

Day Ten: Tuesday 29th December 2009

  • Today is the day we should have been in The Gambia! We are only 2500 miles away. Playing catch up is very difficult - I think impossible.
  • Due to the disbelief over the Visa’s we had all agreed to leave the Hotel at 1000hrs, and more importantly Andy had arranged to have his washing done!
  • We left on time, now heading for Marrakech, problem - the Lead Vehicle, had a brake problem the front brakes were seizing on. We put it down to the new callipers being slightly different, and so we put the old ones back on. An hour later we were on the road again!
  • In no time at all yet another problem - the Lead Vehicle, had a brake problem the front brakes were seizing on! We gave the VW Golf to {Neil on Wheels}. This time we split the convoy and sent the other 4 vans to an Ibis hotel I had stayed in with a large car park.
  • Jason and I got to grips sorting the van out, we checked it out and it was always the offside brake, we blanked off the offside port from the master cylinder, adapted the pipe from the offside front and put it to where the rear brake feed lived and then the van had no rear brakes - but it did have fronts!
  • Onwards to Marrakech, we had lost about 2 hours. Going down the motorway Sue missed the turning for Marrakech, and Andy and Jason, who had over taken us decided we could go the scenic route - so we headed to Safi! My CB radio was not working properly so we had to just follow.
  • Finally we were on the road to Marrakech and it was a really poor road - bumpy, pot holes and very narrow, the phone rang, it was Neil Carey telling me that the fan belt had snapped, I advised waiting for us - but we were at least 2 hours away. I assumed his belt on the {Neil on Wheels} the only Peugeot engine van on the trip, van had snapped.
  • Then, at about 2000hrs, the Lead Vehicle pulled over and they had a light problem - very dim headlights, I said turn off the engine - try and restart - battery flat - alternator not charging, we were about 50 miles from Marrakech.
  • I swapped my battery with theirs, and away we went. Approaching the Hotel I had a call from {Neil on Wheels} they had towed the {Green Goddess} 50 miles on a tatty piece of rope. They had the roof lights on! (The orange flashing lights.) So at least they were highly visible.
  • I pulled into the Hotel car park at 2145hrs. Food orders would only be taken up to 2230hrs. I went out to sort the vehicles. Everyone else went to put their things in the room.
  • At 2215hrs, I was in the restaurant ordering food, I had fitted a new fan belt, and repaired the alternator fault - a cable had snapped - I reaffixed it, with a jubilee clip, job done - it stayed fixed. This was the last repair I actually did!

Day Eleven: Friday 30th December 2009

  • We arranged a wake up call for 0500hrs & breakfast for 0530hrs, we must be on the road as early as possible. The Hotel very kindly woke everyone at 0400hrs! Today is going to be a long day that I thought would be very difficult at best - we are planning to go 550miles to Laayoune - nobody thinks it is possible. What with vehicle problems yesterday, split convoy anything can happen - I pointed out that this was always going to be a difficult trip - but what about Skinny on his own?
  • We took the VW Golf back from {Neil on Wheels} and he took the Blue trailer from {Lead Vehicle} the reason being the {Lead Vehicle} only had front brakes and the coolant warning light flashed on if the van got warm, we were heading towards the Sahara.
  • As we left Marrakech heading towards Agadir the road got very hilly, it is like that for about 150miles, I checked on my previous trip and found that it had taken me 4 hours to get to Tiznit. Very quickly we as {Tail end Charlie} got left behind, but I had told everyone not to wait for us, as we had mobile phones and on the flat we would be able to catch up.
  • The road was awful, we kept getting stuck behind lorries travelling at 15 - 20 m.p.h. We then had to try to overtake - remember we are towing a VW golf, and right hand drive driving on the right! At times we were over taken on blind corners by lunatics!
  • Half way down this mountain I met a coach on a bad bend and we “kissed” . Very loud “kiss” my nearside door mirror was damaged, but I could still use it. He did not stop - there was nowhere to stop and there was a load of vehicles behind him.
  • We eventually reached Tiznit. Now the police/army check points began. We had caught up with the rest of the convoy and it was taking about 30 minutes to get through the check point. Then half way through Tiznit you had the same again.
  • The {Lead Vehicle} was up ahead and I split the convoy into two sections, thinking that this would speed the check point paperwork up, I sent the {Green Goddess} and the {Banana Bus}, ahead while we filled up, and then we waited 10 minutes, I was left with {Neil on Wheels + Blue trailer} and {Balloon Bus} we as {Tail end Charlie} were there in case of breakdown. We set off and at a round about through Tiznit the {Lead Vehicle} was stopped - we thought paperwork check - and so we drove past them, as had the {Green Goddess} and the {Banana Bus}, . We assumed that they would easily catch us up.
  • We found out later that they had been stopped for failing to obey the roundabout road procedure - you give way to the right and stop on the round about! They had to pay a 400 dirham fine. They also had to wait nearly an hour for the paperwork to be sorted.
  • At the next check point we were again stopped for 30 minutes, the {Green Goddess} and the {Banana Bus} had told the police that we were a humanitarian aid convoy for The Gambia and the rest of the Busses were following.
  • The {Lead Vehicle} passed us and then went ahead to catch up with the {Green Goddess} and the {Banana Bus} about an hour later we came to the vehicles parked at a fuel station waiting for us. The {Lead Vehicle} was nowhere to be seen, but as long as they keep the sea on the right they cannot take a wrong turn. As we were all together we carried on heading for Laayoune.
  • Later that evening about 2200hrs, I was following the {Balloon Bus} and we were way back in the convoy, Andy called on the mobile and suggested he headed for Tarfaya, to find a Hotel, we probably will not make it to Laayoune. I agreed and said we were about an hour behind them.
  • It had been a long day, none of the vehicles had any mechanical problems, and all was going well, but we were all exhausted, Sue could not drive any more, Skinny had been on his own nearly all day, he had had the occasional passenger for an hour or two.
  • About 10 miles from Tarfaya Andy called to say forget going to Tarfaya, it is a lawless place without a Hotel, as soon as they pulled into the town, the busses were surrounded by locals. I said I would stop at the next town and wait for them, so I overtook the {Balloon Bus} and Skinny followed me to Tah. In Tah there was a large area with street lights on, and a lorry parked. I went to the shop over the road and asked if there were any Hotels in the town. I was told no. I was bone weary and was not going to drive any further - I made the decision to sleep there for the night.
  • When the rest of the convoy turned up (about 15 minutes later), I explained the options, it was 2300hrs. We were about 35 miles from Laayoune where there are a lot of Hotels, we could all drive there, we can stay here which is what I am doing, if you all go on ahead I will be at Laayoune for 0630hrs to rejoin the convoy.
  • The {Lead Vehicle} did not want to stay on the car park with us, as they had also had a problem on the hilly road - they had “kissed” a lorry and it had destroyed the door mirror and smashed the nearside door window. They felt as well that the car park we were on was very unsafe. I was not prepared to drive anymore. I started preparing a snack and a bed and looked around - the whole convoy, except the {Lead Vehicle} were camping with us.
  • Sue & I slept in the back of our vehicle - very cosy!

Day Twelve: Saturday 31st December 2009

  • We should have been looking forward to The Gambian New Years eve celebrations - a few fireworks let off over a very long period of time, and thousands of people standing in the street, but we were at least 1200 miles from The Gambia.
  • In the morning, we found that there were another 4 vehicles parked with us, and a security man had been patrolling all night. I had left water out, and it was still there. It was a car park that travellers used and the town provided a security guard! We had breakfast and called the {Lead Vehicle} to see how things were, they had booked into a hotel and were on the road. We said we would catch them up, today we only had 400 miles to travel, we were heading to Guerguarat, well 35 miles north of there anyway, there is a reasonable Hotel there and fuel.
  • Since day nine sleep had been a few hours each evening, everybody was tired, and today we had had about 5 hours of uncomfortable sleep in cramped conditions. We set off at 0700hrs and headed south.
  • Really an uneventful day, we drove, and drove until finally about 50 miles from the border, we came to the Hotel and fuel station.
  • The Hotel actually had a European toilet and one shower, Andy & Jason had arrived about 1/2hr before us and booked us all in. It was 2130hrs New Years Eve and we were staying in a Hotel in the Sahara! The Hotel was really cheap 150 Dirham per night and it was clean. The restaurant served hot food - either meat or chicken with some dead bread, and coke. Luckily Jason had some Jack Daniels. We did not see the New Year in, we went to bed after food! Tomorrow we will be leaving Moroccan territory and heading into Mauritania.