(Excuse me that this is rough info. Because I lost most data. But I hope this will help you.)

　

Additional information

There is a paved road in the western Sahara desert. You can pass there alone, if you have enough petrol. (2005, hearsay)

When you visit Happy Rider (a motorcycle shop in SPAIN), Exit N-5 of M40 (ring road) in Madrid. After the exit, turn left at the first intersection outside of the ring (M40). Then turn right at the next intersection. Go straight the uphill and go straight the roundabout. At the end of the uphill, 'Happy Rider' is very close, though there maybe no shop sign.

　

West Europe

PORTUGAL

Lisbon

Lisboa YH

D12.5

If there's no guests of wheelchair, a few motorcycles are possible to park inside the gate.

　

Roca cap

You can buy a certificate that you arrived the western end of Europe here (cheaper one is 5 euro). If you use the postbox here, the mail will be stamped specialized.

I recommend you to visit Sanvisente cap (spell?), if possible. The cap is the end of south-west Europe. This has a composed atmosphere different from Roca.

　

Along the main road from Lisbon to Roca, you can find some signs for camping area. From Roca to Sintra, there is also a camp area, 'WONDERTUR VILLAGE PRAIA GRANDE'.

　

　

SPAIN

At least Japanese tourists are loved by muggers, thieves in this country. Even though you don't see a mugger fortunately, you'll see a tourist who met a mugger.

　

freeway

Free. But near Algeciras, where is the gate town to Africa there are tollgates exceptionally.

　

Madrid

YH (centre of the city) You cannot stay here a long period. No parking space.

YH (Casa de Campo) They have a parking space. But around the YH, there are many streetwalkers. Going out alone at night is dangerous.

　

Happy Rider Mcs. - Tours & Rentals (motorcycle repair, tour, rental)

They also accept motorcycle transport and credit card payment. Japanese, English and Spanish conversation are available.

　

(address)

Antonio Lopez Torres 20 - 28050 Madrid-SPAIN / Tel.-Fax: +34-913-815-124

http://www.happyrider.com

　

　

ferry from Algeciras (SPAIN) to Morocco (AFRICA)

You can exchange your euro coins to DH (MOROCCO currency) at the ferry port (Algeciras). But in the ferry only euro is acceptable.

　

for Tanger (frequently) person 23.5 euro, motorcycle 22.4 euro

　

entry MOROCCO at Tanger

There is a man who hangs an ID card. He is not an official worker but a simple agent. Needless to say he requires a tip finally. Someone pay 5 euro, but he does only to copy your registration certificate. And you have to do all the other procedure by yourself. You never forget to receive a document that is needed when you leave MOROCCO.

Be careful on the weekend. A truck tourist had to wait until on Monday because the window of the border was closed at Tanger.

　

　

for Ceuta (SPAIN territory)

This is also a popular gate town to Africa. I heard there is a GREEN CARD (Europe Car Insurance) check.

If you don't have it, you have to make (pay for) it, even though you leave for MOROCCO soon. To buy GREEN CARD in Spain is expensive.

　

　

AFRICA

MOROCCO

There are outstanding private guides. You'll be tailed tenaciously by them. Even though they say 'No money', they'll require something finally. They follow you until you give them something. In this country the private guides are prohibited, so if you go close to a policeman, they　disperse.

It's difficult to find alcohol, but at least there must be a store which sells alcohol each town.

　

Tanger

There is a Internet-cafe. beer (small); 20 (about 2 euro. expensive!)

　

Meknes (spell?)

stand; 15..20

　

Auberge de Juness (spell?)

D45, parking14

　

Agoudal

From this town to Dades (spell?) was covered with snow and I couldn't go (31/Jan). Be careful! To Agoudal from the national road is no problem. At the gate town to Agoudal, there is a man who says 'You never go to Agoudal by car because of the snow' and tries to make you to park your vehicle there, stay there and get on their truck. But everything is a lie for getting money.

　

Auberge Restaurant IBRAHIM (N32°00'73.5" W005°29'32.1")

room50 / restaurant

　

From Agoudal to Tamtatoush (spell?), I went back. Then from Tamtatoush I headed for Dades. There were many branches and rocky roads.

　

　

WEST SAHARA

DH (MOROCCO currency) is used. Substantial it is MOROCCO. In WEST SAHARA, petrol prices becomes half (4.97/L) (of MOROCCO). It seems to be a part of emigration project by MOROCCO. 'Tah' may be the nearest town to MOROCCO. You should refuel here. There is nothing special around the border between MOROCCO and WEST SAHARA.

　

Dakhla

Convoy was composed here for the tourists, 'running through the desert' before. But today there's no need to compose it. You'd better find extra tanks and so on in this town. Because in Nouadhibou it's difficult to find good one. (ex. tank is duty and unreasonable price in Nouadhibou.)

　

Camping Touristique Moussafia (N23°45'49.5" W015°54'28.0")

tent20, room ?

A little far from centre of the town. Overlanders are coming　so often. You can exchange UM (MAURITANIA currency) in this accommodation. After this, you cannot exchange until Nouadhibou. At the border customs, you may need some money. (If I remember rightly.)

　

border between MOROCCO (West SAHARA) and MAURITANIA

The border section is 60..80km deep sand road. There are some immigrations, customs and police controls. The road is not clear, so you may feel you lost your way. But you don't have to worry. You manage to go just following in front of your car. There are private border guides, though you don't have to hire.　

　

　

MAURITANIA

Nouadhibou

It's general to look for your companions and hire a guide here when you run through the desert. The accommodation owner will help you to do so. In this town there is some small supermarkets, so you can get most things here. An Internet-cafe is also, though the line is　very slow. To find alcohol is difficult.

　

Camping ABBA (N20°54'51.2" W017°03'17.9")

tent1000, room ? / kitchen

　

Nouadhibou‐Nouakchott (running through the West Sahara Desert)

You can run through between Nov. and Feb. (peak Dec., Jan.). There are many Europeans who go to Nouakchott to sell their used cars. It's one idea to ask them who can speak French to negotiate with a guide. The guide fee might be about 400 euro / day, if I remember rightly. And the tourist members split the fee. The running through pace depends on the car. If there is a 2WD car in your group, the pace becomes slow because 2WD gets stuck often on the way. But even though with 2WD, we departed Nouadhibou in the afternoon and arrived at Nouakchott in the afternoon the day after tomorrow (So we could run through 3 days). If the all cars are 4WD, the pace becomes earlier. Motorcycle is not so problem for the pace. Because if your luggage is carried by another car, it's easy to push when you get stuck. Basically the desert road which the guide leads is not so deep sand.

There was a couple rider who ran through the desert with only GPS system, though it was hard and high risk. If you hire a guide with other tourists and if you can ask another car tourist to bring your luggage, you can afford to enjoy the desert driving.

The daytime is hot, so you need much water. In the night the temperature becomes almost 0.

　

running through distance: 521km (Nouadhibou-Nouakchott)

Mileage: 26km/L (motorcycle) went down less than 10km/L.

　

ALGAN National Park (spell?)

You have to buy the ticket at the office in Nouadhibou in advance, if you pass the NP while running through t he West Sahara Desert. The office in Nouadhibou has a leaflet which shows you the GPS data and tide timetable (not free) of the desert. Unfortunately I watched only some pelicans in the NP. But you can buy some fish from the fisherman at the seaside.

　

Nouakchott

There was no petrol when I was. Light oil was there. In this town most cars were diesel! At the fishing port you can buy the black market petrol. But you can buy petrol in the outskirts. There is a petrol station in Rosso. And along the street from Nouakchott to Rosso, you can find bottled petrol for sale. (about UM130/L)

　

Camping Auberge Normady (N18°05'20.5" W015°58'42.2")

tent1000, room ?

　

going north the desert

You can get much information at the camp site in Nouakchott. Because there will come many tourists who passed the desert from Nouadhibou. You can be given extra tank from them. There are few tourists who go north the desert, but the guide must want to go back to Nouadhibou. You can discount the guide fee, I think.

　

border between MAULITANIA and SENEGAL

　

border of ROSSO

This is the notoriety border. Many tourists avoid this border. There is a ferry for passing the river, but you'll be required unreasonable tourist price.

　

between Rosso and St-Louis,

There is a policeman who try to check your insurance for your vehicle. He seems to be a friend (family?) of the insurance company in Rosso. The insurance company in Rosso requires unreasonable price. The insurance price will be decided by negotiation with them.

brown card (250cc); 50 euro / 2months

　

border of heading for St-Louis

leaving MAULITANIA UM2500 and village tax UM500? (depend on your vehicle)

Be careful! At the immigration, they don't put back your passport until you give some money for him. You never leave your hand from your passport while they are stamping.

　

entry SENEGAL CFA500 and bridge fee ?

　

road condition

Between Nouakchott and Ross is paved. Between Rosso and St-Louis is flat earth.

　

　

SENEGAL

Policeman try to find faults with everything you do for demanding money. Black market is popular for exchange, but the trading is done behind a building.

In the JAPAN embassy there are info notebook and Japanese books. Everyday Japanese tourists are there, so you can exchange info each other. The copies of SUPER MAP (Ryokou-jin) are here. It makes you comfortable if you travel west Africa from here.

　

1euro=CFA650..660 (black market, Dakar) / reference: 1euro=CFA655.9570 (the fixed exchange rate system)

　

St-Louis

ZEBRA BAR

tent2500 / restaurant&bar

Overlanders are coming so often. beer(gazelle); 1000

　

Rufisuque

Going shopping to Dakar is by bus or vehicle.

　

HIPPO CAMP

tent2500, room ?

　

Dakar

CAMEROON embassy

single 1 month, CFA30,000, letter, photo ?, issue: 2 days later

　

Pointe des Almadies

The western end of Africa.

oyster (1 dozen);500

　

Ile de Gore

ferry(a round-trip, student discount); 2500, museum(admission); 200

　

Tambacounda

Chez Desert

tent2000 (You need a negotiation.), room ?