LATEST UPDATES OF MY SAHARA CROSSING.
SPECIAL THANKS TO PAUL GROVE, COMPAQ IPAQ, KODAK AND MTDS WITH OUT THESE IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE

Its now 09.00 and I leave in two hours for the ferry to Ceuta. I shall be first driving to the Summit of the rock of Gibraltar to commence my VIDEO Diary.

My first priority after arriving in Morocco will be to obtain a Moroccan Sim card, which will enable me cheaply to 'maintain' this travel journal. I leave today very grateful for all the help I have received, to coin a phrase, I couldn’t have done it with out you!!

I awoke to the noise of flocking seagulls and the hustle and bustle of daily life in Gibraltar. It was 08.30 and a quick glance out of the window reassured me Sir Alex was still there. I needn’t of worried, as Gibraltar is almost a crime free city. The worst thing that happens in Gibraltar is the frequent issue of parking tickets from the ever-proficient traffic wardens. 

A double take out of the window provided me with the most amazing view of the peaks of the ATALS Mountains. The main body of the mountains obscured by cloud but the summit was they’re standing proud, a beautiful sight. For the first time I felt truly excited. I was some fourteen miles from the base of the ATLAS and all that was before me was the sea straights of Gibraltar.

Today was my last chance to purchase the final items for my trip, which included 20 x 8 mm tapes for my camcorder, which was donated by the lovely Errol Luxton and some more medication and a thousand AA Batteries. I then went to the YE OLD ROCK PUB to meet some old friends and the lovely IAN and Molly (Owners) and Susan the new Manageress. It was nice to catch up on old times, but the real reason for my diversion was to see if my K & N filter sent by STEPHEN, a German overlander who heard of my plight in trying to obtain a filter, duly organised the purchase and sending off one via UPS to Gibraltar. All this before I managed to pay him. An incredible generous gesture for which I am grateful. No time like the present! 

You know you are going to have a good day, when five miles north of MADRID an ambulance appears behind you with lights and sirens blasting aloud. I moved into the inside lane to allow him access and I was then sucked behind him for the next 10 miles. I travelled North to South along Madrid’s ring road in less than 15 minutes, a journey I am sure in normal circumstances could have taken three times that.

I was now on the E5 a Spanish Motorway heading for GRANADA. I must confess this leg of nearly 300 miles was some of the best driving I have ever had to do. Is it too much to believe that the Spanish had read my previous report on their roads and in haste pulled out all the stops to get my route before me freshly tarmaced!! It was only when south of Madrid that I knew I was in the real Spain as every garage with restaurant had the most amazing choice of TAPPAS; yes a weak point of mine. Sir Alex and me where making good speed as I had a change of tactics, which involved stopping every 100 miles instead of every 50 as previously done. There is only so much coffee and tapas to be consumed.

We drove passed GRANADA and high into the mountains towards Malaga where for the first time, I engaged my GERBING electrical clothing. The drive was unexpectedly good and we made good distance. I knew that if I could make Malaga reasonably early in the afternoon I would be fewer than two hours short of Gibraltar. This I achieved with ease. 

Just North of Malaga I saw the Cadiz sign, which took me due east towards Gibraltar. It was day three and I had now travelled 1100 miles. Thirty miles east of Gibraltar I saw the first of many Moroccan ferry ticket booths. The temptation lured me straight away. (see picture ) The purchase of tickets is a straightforward affair. There were no requirements to show passports or documents. The cost of tickets was approximately £15.00 for the bike and £12 for an adult. This was a return open ticket, for me extremely good value.

I took the opportunity to phone a few friends in Gibraltar, which included Liz, a Reservations Manager at the Rock Hotel. I informed her of my crazy plans, which included the SAHARA DESERT and a BMW MOTORBIKE. Much to my amazement the Rock Hotel entered into the true spirit of things and offered me a complementary room for two nights. This was an extremely generous gesture as the cost of the room is £100 plus per night. Thank your Mr Davenport (Manager) and Liz. It is the best hotel in Gibraltar with each room having a sea view. Having purchased my ferry tickets I continued west, finally arriving in Gibraltar at 6 pm.

A quick meal at my favourite eating parlour, washed down with a few lagers and yet another early night. It was never like this ten years ago!

On the road dead on 9 AM. It is only a short journey from England to France. But when you are hungry and first thing in the morning there is only one meal for me and that’s an English breakfast, Sausages, Eggs, Grilled Tomatoes, Bacon, Fried bread, unfortunately as you know, this is rarely a option outside the UK as your choice is limited to a Thimble of coffee with bread and ham or Croissants. (When in Rome!)

 The weather was terrific and what lay ahead was a drive through some of the most beautiful scenery I have seen for a long time. I wanted to be in or near Madrid by 5pm and this leg of the route took me via “San Sebastian, North East Spain, Burgos and then due south towards Madrid. The scenery improved as I traveled across Spain but the joy of this was in sharp contrast to the conditions of the Spanish roads, which in my opinion our outrageous for a European country. The main road towards Madrid is covered in potholes and something you must avoid when traveling at speed fully laden. I decided to stop some 50 kilometres north of Madrid to save on Money. I found a Hostel with a bar in a new town called SANTO TOME DEL PUERTO. The welcome was warm and the food was excellent and the beer San Miguel. Total cost including a few beers, mixed grill and accommodation, £12.00.

Sir Alex, my bike, R1150GS, has been excellent no problems experience at all. The tyres CONTINENTAL TCK 80 have been great. My experience on Knobblies is limited but after 1000 miles there is to-date no real indication of ware, which is unbelievably good due to the hard riding I have done. It is now 7 am on the 5 Feb and I must pack for my Journey towards Seville then Gibraltar.

At 8.00 am I departed the ferry in Roscof, France. First off as it happens, thanks to Steve (Brittany Ferries). I had a Plan for the day, which meant driving all-day and arriving at Boudreaux no later than 4 pm. This is so unlike me! Normally, my plan is to get from A to B as fast as possible irrespective of distance. I have driven many a time to the Czech Republic a distance in access of 1100 miles and without a serious break, and being so tired at the end of it that I have slept for nearly twenty-four hours. So what’s changed, I hear you say? I recently traveled to CW motorcycles Dorchester to see off TED SIMON on the start of his around the world trip and when I was there I met a couple of over Landers “Simon and Bridget”, who had just return from Eight years traveling the world on a BMW 100GS. I asked him had any tips for me prior to my around the world trip. His reply was “ LIVE FOR TODAY” he said, he spent the first two years of his eight years away, PLANNING FOR TOMORROW, before he realised he was ignoring things he should see and do that day. 

 So where was I? Yes my Schedule. I have decided my daily routine would be on the road by 9.00 am and drive till 4 pm or 300 miles maximum. So true to form I have been driving 400 miles plus, and finishing at 6 pm. Believe me it is an improvement on past ventures. The drive in the poring rain went without problems. I checked into a cheap hotel and spent the rest of the night trying to make contact with my UK ISP, using my Compaq Ipaq. After an hour with little success, it dawned on me that I could not make a connection because my ISP connection number starts with 0800 and for those that are in the know, here in England that is a free phone number which can not be used outside the UK! So here I am with all the latest Hardware money can buy (COMPAQ IPAQ, IPAQ GSM Expansion Pack and Kodak latest adventure Camera, DC5000) and no way of getting my Travel Log and Pictures out. After a short time it dawned on me to try MTDS-MOROCCO. This company emailed me and offered me two months free Internet access during my time in North Africa. This is what I did. A first time connection, and an expensive option at £1.50 per minute but at least I am updating my site.

On the Move!

Friday night I said a farewell to my friends with a final drink on The Barbican, Plymouth Harbour. Even Steve Leach the Hermit attended (my mechanic), and that is the first time he has been out since Christmas. After one pint I heard him say to his wife we must do this more often. If it takes a Sahara crossing to get his wife out, I pity her.

We left and headed to the Ferry Port (Brittany Ferries) were we met by Steve who is the PORT OPERATIONAL MANAGER. After a few pleasantries we where waved onto the ferry. Nothing impressive about that I hear you say, except that he had waited for us to arrive so he could ensure we where first on the ferry.

Ferry Crossing