Not really any sleep last night, no food and still feverish, I reluctantly had to accept that Dakar just wasn’t going to happen for me. I booked in for another night, gave Hans my map of Senegal as he set off to try to find another traveller to share the risks of the three days through Mauritania, and started to plan an alternative way home on less demanding roads.
In the afternoon I took a huge risk and went about 300 metres from the security of a readily available toilet to an internet café. For the first time, I got interrogated about virus protection on my Eee PC before being allowed to connect. Quite funny really, considering the health risk from me.
Internet access has been relatively easy to find in towns but the real surprise for me has been the mobile phone coverage. I only switch my phone on a couple of times a day but I have never been without a signal in Morocco. As I have only seen a few large masts instead of the forest of small ones we have for our ropey coverage in Ireland, I can only assume that the power has been turned up to eleven like in Spinal Tap. Presumably in about another month I would hear a ‘ping’ to let me know that my kidneys were done. Another few hours in bed and then downstairs to move my bike to its nighttime parking guardian (Hans had moved it last night). Lahcen, the hotel owner, knew I didn’t like the guardian so he had a new plan. If I removed the panniers I could ride the bike up the step into the lobby and through the doorway onto the breakfast terrace. Hotel el Bahia rocks!Suitably inspired after this success, I tried the universal stomach litmus test – a packet of crisps. Not a complete all clear but I needed food so I chanced half a chicken tagine in the closest restaurant.
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2 comments:
Hello again Drew - sorry Mauretania didn't work out. You've had a pretty rough few days but I'm sure by the time you read this things will have improved (even if by then you are heading north instead of south). My thanks to Jonnie for the great pic. The question I think we'd all like answered at this stage is: what has that young lad spotted inside your beard?
Sorry you have gone through the wars over last few days. Hopefully by the time you get this message your body will be more or less in functioning order. Both thinking off you here and hoping no more disasters (bike or body wise) befall you. Take care Mairead and Paul
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