22.01 till 27.01.07, 5 days, currency rate 1€ = 335 O (Ouguiya)

highlights - border crossing between Western Sahara and Mauritania is unique. This is driving through 4-kilometre long minefield, and it is strictly recommended that you stick to the main track. A friend has good saying about this road: "jump on side may be jump up".

In border town Nouadhibou, the first thing I did was the purchase of turban, plastic bags and sheets. All this is to protect myself and the baggage from dirt and dust. I decided to ride the longest (2.5 km) and the heaviest train in the world. It's operating every day from Zouerat, bringing iron ore from the depths of the desert to the port in Nouadhibou. It comes back empty, so the travellers can jump in to the empty carriage (described in the "transport").

From Atar is worth to visit Ouadane - small oasis where you can admire the medieval old town. Most buildings are already ruins, but some of them were put together stone by stone, so that still didn't lose its character and continues to work as residential homes. Walking in the streets let me felt the climate, which probably was similar like ages ago. The perfect atmosphere destroyed a bit the local boys, who wanted 1000 O admission fee. They didn't have official identification card, and such tickets could be printed anywhere - I refused to pay, I asked for someone elderly. It wasn't easy, but in the end they gave up.

The next day we went to Chinguetti, which are the seventh most holy Islamic town, famous for its libraries. It wasn't until the fifth visited library to give us student discount - finally instead of 1000 O we paid half of that. You can see and know the technique of creating those nearly thousand years old manuscripts. And visit was worth - a librarian in the gloves was opening the books, with detailed explanation - it does impressed.

accommodation – hostels without sheets, but the kitchen was available. You can exchange money, and the owner will be open for any assistance with trip hints and organization. In Mauritania we had the last hot shower for a few months - the next one was in Ghana, and one after the another half year later in Namibia.

transport – one of the biggest attractions in Mauritania - iron ore train which runs between coast and the desert. The station in Nouadhibou is 5 km outside the town, towards the port - a nice walk. The train departure at evening, officially 6 pm, but they normally late. Although it contain a passenger carriage for 3 € (Nouadhibou - Choum), we were boarding the free cargo carriage. The whole one only for us. I was prepared - dressed warmly, head covered with turban, luggage wrapped in plastic foil, I tried to minimize the iron settling down on the body and clothes. Despite this we were all in dust, but it wasn't our nightmare in this trip. The real suffering has been the shaking carriage. The intensity of noise, vibration and rocking increased with speed. At this shake stage you could easily broke the head on the floor, so lying wasn't possible. I had a strange reaction, the first hour I had hysterical laughing, I already knew what awaits me. After 11 hours the horror ended. We jump out from carriage at dawn, horribly dirty and with bruises. It was one of my worst night in my life, but certainly interesting experience which now I remember with smile. Apparently, however, a lot depends on luck which carriage we take (different degree of shaking) - we definitely had bad luck. To find out if we are in the proper station to get off is also some problem. Lack of signs (or far away), it is best to ask the locals in the next carriage. In our case there was no one to ask, therefore, I used the stars as indicative of the travel direction and did know when to get off. Along the train were driving the jeeps to collect passengers for further trip to Atar - but watch out for an unfair price. I preferred to walk to the Choum village and there calmly negotiate the local fare.

We wanted to leave Atar as soon as possible to the pleasant and relaxing desert oasis. Before this happened, however, we had to make frustrating negotiation for a few hours with local fraudsters. Even when we had established the proper price and was ready to sign the contract, they always used some new tricks which I couldn't accept. To reduce the cost of hiring we offered to driver the opportunity to take other passengers during our tour. In the end we found a driver for acceptable price, but because young man didn't belong to the nicest one, I think that you may pay a little bit more but go with someone more social and get more joyful trip. You can get from Atar to Ouadane or Chinguetti by public transport, but there is no direct connection Ouadane - Chinguetti. We were so tried after the train trip, so we allowed to get some extra convenient (with 3 persons this is not much more expensive option, and certainly faster). We did, however, the error in the contract - I strongly recommend the shortcut (at least in one way) between Ouadane and Chinguetti, the shortest route through the desert, called Piste du Batha. We did twice along the same route by main road - further and more boring.

We wanted go direct from Atar to Tidjikja, but unfortunately the offered prices exceed our budget - we bargained until 80 € per person for 2 days trip outside the truck.

We were going to the "civilization" direction, I mean to the South on the coast, where the paved road is not a strange thing and time of travel was significantly reduced. Mauritania does not have buses as public transport, for long distances shared taxi is running, so we had to squiz 7 people in an old Mercedes. In this way we came to the border with Senegal, with a short break in the capital.

To get to Senegal we had to cross the Senegal River. We had the choice to pay for quick canoe or wait for free ferry, but it runs only 4 times daily. The border officials tried to slow down to give us exit stamps, played on time because the ferry was almost departing. And border is closed between noon and 3 pm. We were on time despite attempts to get bribes by officials. Then is worth to rush to minibus station to catch the next vehicle, because when border is closed is less potential passengers and need more time to fill the minibus.

visa - to Mauritania we were able to buy a visa at the border for 20 €, but I heard that some people got a trouble with this. You can also apply for a visa in Rabat (the embassy moved from Casablanca), Bamako, or Dakar, and charge is the same. You can use the visa during 3 months and let you stay in the country for a month from the date of entry.

In Mauritania we can find embassies of Mali and Morocco.