Today was the dreaded border crossing day, the same border where just 2 weeks ago we sat in the heat for countless hours and only just made it through before the border closed. A German couple arrived at Villa Maguella from Morocco having been at the border for 6 hours and a couple we met at Villa Maguella when were here on the southward journey, had about a 6 hour crossing going north. Everybody told us it is easier going into Morocco than leaving Morocco (Mauritania is not an issue either way, max 1 hour), but that just doesn’t seem to make sense.

So, we set off at just after 8 and Trevor decided to stop at a small shop to get some baguette for the border wait. It was piping hot, just out of the oven and only 10 ouguiya, about 23 euro cents ! We then put in 15 litres of the dirty diesel as we had driven around too much in Nouadhibou and needed to be sure we could make the border although it is only an hour away. Then we hit the road.

The exit from Mauritania was breeze and we changed some money for dirhams just before entering the Mauritanian side. The man at the customs was happy to be able to say that he had now seen a South African passport !

The road through no-man’s land between the two border posts is in an unbelievably poor state and we bumped along until we eventually reached the Morocco side. There were lots of trucks but only 1 or 2 cars, so we were hopeful. While we waited for the first document review, Charlotte made sandwiches from the baguette which we ate during the course of the various waitings through process. We passed the first hurdle and were then told to park at the side of the area where all the other cars were parked and told to unpack the car. We dutifully unpacked most of the back and inside, laying it all neatly on the side of the road so that they could see what it was. Some cars next to us were fully loaded inside and on the roof and they had to unpack everything and even open packages. It seems they were traders taking goods into Morocco for sale.

We waited and eventually the 1 sniffer dog came and sniffed around. His handler wanted to see inside some boxes and the bag of the tent, seems he had never seen a tent in his life before. While this was being done, an old Mercedes Benz, of the 190 or 200 class from Mauritania was told to drive his car over the inspection pit. There, about 4 officers and plain clothes customs people spent at least half a hour to 45 minutes searching, under the car, in the engine, in the boot, removing seats and panels, knocking and listening, ….. Eventually he was allowed to go.

We had been waiting a long time and I asked the officer what I needed to do and if we could pack the car again and he said no and mumbled something about the office. They take your passport and papers but insist you wait at the car and then disappear for ages. Eventually another sniffer dog came and sniffed but couldn’t find anything. His handler seemed insistent that he had to find something. He then spotted the machete that is kept on the floor of the car on the outside of the driver’s seat. This, he said was not allowed and took it and told Trevor to follow him. In fact, at one point he had Trevor by the arm and Trevor told him he could leave his arm, he wouldn’t run away and in any case when we arrived In Morocco at Tangier Med in October, the customs officer was shown the machete when he asked if we had any weapons and he had said that it was not a weapon and we could go. There they were more interested in whether one has a drone as it needs to be pre-authorized. In the office, a few staff were looking and measuring the knife, declaring that it was way beyond the acceptable length and would need to be confiscated. Trevor again insisted that at Tangier Med the officers had seen it and said it was fine and told them that they should get their colleagues to do their job properly rather than now make it our problem. Trevor said it was used for cutting trees and bush, and one officer said that it is not needed in Morocco, Morocco is safe, its only in other parts of Africa that it is needed. Anyway, they filled a form confirming that they had confiscated it and Trevor had to sign and they gave me a copy. We were then free to go to repack the car and take it through the X-ray scanner. Further forms and stamps, including a passavant (temporary import permit for the car) were needed before and after the scanner so it was a bit of running from scanner to office and back. Once the scanner and papers were done we could go to the last gate where Trevor had to park the car before the exit, and walk through the border to buy the 3rd party car insurance (EUR 105 for 30 days). In between, with the waiting, we reserved an apartment in Dakhla for 2 nights as it was then clear that we could indeed reach Dakhla in good time. Once we had the insurance, the gate was opened and we were allowed to go and headed for the petrol station only 50 meters from the border to fill up on clean diesel, under 3 hours for the crossing. To our surprise, there was only 1 car in the queu on the Morocco side, compared to us being in positions 51 and 52 when we were there about 2 weeks ago !

With clean diesel in the car and a very good road, we could travel with peace of mind. We stopped at a few places to look at the views and take some photographs. We stopped again as we crossed the Tropic of Cancer which had to be watched carefully as it is only signposted on the southbound side.

As we approached Dakhla we saw the last few kitsesurfers packing up for the day and headed for the apartment that we had booked. The owner met us and showed us around. The apartment is new, but the sea view is debatable (strictly true but way in the distance) and the seaview and parking somewhat not the image that we had formed in our minds. We then headed to a restaurant for an early dinner of oysters, which they farm here and export to Europe, seafood spaghetti and a fish fillet. We were tired and so quickly collapsed into bed for a good night’s sleep.