Blog: On the road again…

(originally appeared on continentaldrifters.ca)

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2008. Dakhla, Western Sahara. Four Canadians admiring the sunset off the coast of Western Sahara.

We’ve travelled many thousands of km’s just to bring you this. Flying from the West Coast of North America – Vancouver, Canada to be exact – across the Atlantic ocean, eventually ariving in Paris, France. It was a short stopover and before we could finish our cups of coffee across the Seine from Notre Dame we were back in the air, this time to Madrid, Spain. We had a night to kill and fortunatly it was a friday, so instead of doing the “logical” thing, checking into a hotel and resting up, we locked our bags up at the airport and went out for a night on the town. “Madridians”, as i’ve decided to call them, party late into the night, and aparently dont require a specific location to do so. So in the spirit of Madrid we spent our night drinking in the streets, doing as the locals do, waiting for the subway to re-open at 6am. For anyone who’s tried to drink to kill 6 or 7 hours, sometimes things get a little bit messy. By 7 am we’d found ourselves a queit corner of the airport to lie down and pass out.

It was in this state, nursing some of the worst hangovers we’ve ever had, that we decided to arrive at our desired destination; Africa. I passed out as soon as i got to my seat on the plane, and it wasn’t until we were making our descent that i woke up, to look out the window and see the narrow piece of water that separates Europe and Africa pass below us. We circled back out over top the Atlantic Ocean and eventually touched ground at the Tangiers Airport.

Its been a long two and a half weeks since that hangover. Three continents and five – six, depending if you count Western Sahara as a country (which some do and some dont) – countries later, we have arrived here: Nauochott, Mauratania. In that time we’ve covered a lot of territory; from the Rif Mountains in Northern Morocco to the Sahara Desert in the South. We’ve been to the extremes; market madness in Marakesh to the mine fields that separate Western Sahara from Mauratania. Africa hasn’t disapointed yet.

After some technical difficulties arranging the website, and having driven many days across Morocco and Western Sahara, we’re finally able to get everyone caught up to date. Im sure there will be lots of excitement still to come, but hopefully this has left you wanting more. Assuming the mechanics are able to put the back axle back on our van by tomorrow morning, and the squeeling noise decides to go away, we plan tomorrow to begin our journey east across the desert, along the “road of hope” to Mali.

This is the first post of many to come, so hopefully this sets the stage for the adventure of a lifetime. Cape Town here we come.