Return to Nouakchott

Hi BoBers,

Being free and independent was quite a shock after the overwhelming experience I had at the border. Still sick, I took a minibus with BoB on top to Nouakchott. I was crammed into a row with four people sitting on a wooden plank, but the discomfort didn’t even register in comparison to what I’d just experienced. The police checked my passport at a few checkpoints on the way, so I was glad that I’d waited to get a visa.

Riding around Nouakchott is frustrating. Piles of sand cover the street and the cars drive fast, not accounting for this poor cyclist, doing his best to ride straight in deep sand. This is truly a desert city.

The next week was purely about rest. The Senegal visa process was straightforward, quick and free - which made all of the fuss at the border even more galling. I broke my budget for a clean and calm hostel. I ate restaurant food. I took some medicine for the parasites and my stomach finally settled. I met interesting and diverse people, including a guy from Casablanca who was planning to walk to South Africa. I was so relaxed that on the final night I woke up to a tent full of mosquitos who’d eaten very well.

All in all it was a relaxing experience and a welcome contrast from the craziness at the border.

Lazy J&BoB

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