It was really refreshing taking the hot bath last night. My skin was still smooth.
From here, it's about 118km to Dakhla. Normally, cyclists stopped by this city for resting, but I decided not to stop here.

温泉に入れて身体はスッキリスベスベ。今日も張り切って進みましょう。西サハラでラユーンに続き大きな町ダフラまでは118km。普通ならダフラに寄るところだけれど、寄らずに先に進む事にした。

より大きな地図で Cycling West Africa 2 を表示
There were some reasons. As you look at the map, Dakhla is a town in the tip of peninsula. If I want to go there, I need to make 40km side trip. I didn't want that.
Another reason was that there would be a village, where I could buy food and water on my way, so its not necessary to go to Dakhla.
The last reason was for getting online. There would be a hotel with WiFi about 85km before the Mauritania border, so I would be able to check messages before crossing the border.
All of things I wanted to do in Dakhla can be done on my way.

地図を見ると理由が解る。ダフラは大陸から突き出た半島の先にあって、メインの国道から40kmも逸れないといけない。
ダフラへの分岐から国道沿いに40km走った場所にも補給できる集落があるらしいし、モーリタニア国境手前85kmにはネット環境のある安宿もあるという情報。ダフラに行かなくても事済むので無駄な半島往復はやめる事にした。


Anyway, today has been started.
そんなわけで走り始めた今日も景色は変わらない。

I am reaching 40,000km soon. I remembered I had wondered how far people can go by land when I was a little boy about elementary school, At that time, central Asia and Balkan countries had been on conflicts, so I had thought it's impossible for people to go through.
Today, I can come to Africa all the way by land.
I will skip all central part of Africa since there were still many unsafe areas. However, some cyclists have crossed all the way to South Africa by land. It is crazy and very impressive.

轍をつないでもうすぐ4万キロに達しようとしてる。昔、多分小学生くらいの頃かな、世界地図を見ながら陸路でどこまで行けるのかな～って考えた事を思い出す。その頃は中央アジアやバルカン半島が紛争地帯で絶対無理だろうなと思っていた。でも今は自転車で轍をアフリカまで繋げる時代だ。
自分はこの先アフリカ中央は安全上飛行機で飛ばすつもりだけれど、中には南アフリカまで自転車で繋ぐ人もいるのだからすごいもんだ。



Back to my plan for today. I planed to cycle 120km to a village. I hoped I could pitch my tent somewhere there.
After cycling 80km, reached to the intersection with the road goes to Dakhla. I had a police check.
話が逸れてしまった。今日ダフラには行かないので、目的地は120km先にあるはずの集落。走り始めて80km、ダフラの分岐に到着。ここでポリスチェック。

There was a service station with a restaurant and a shop nearby the intersection. I was thinking of drinking coca-cola while riding. However, it was very disappointing both of them had been closed.

情報ではサービスステーションがあってレストランも併設されてある予定だったけれど、営業しているのはガソリンスタンドだけで、レストランと店は閉まっていた。
暑くてコカコーラが飲めると張り切って走って来ただけに、かなり精神的ショックが大きい。


1400km to Dakar
ダカールまで1400km!!


from the intersection, I cycled 40km to the my destination of the day. There were some restaurants and shops. I asked a person if I could camp here. However, since this area was inside of military territory, they didn't allow me to stay there.

分岐から40km走って夕方に予定の集落に到着。レストランが並んでいて飯が食べられる。ここのどこかでで今日は野宿する予定だったのだけれど、この集落は軍の敷地内にあるらしく、ダメだと強く止められてしまった。どうしよ。


I found a soldier speaking English after awhile so asked where I could possibly camp.
He told me there would be a service station 4km from here.
Seemed it was only choice I can take for that night. I went to this station and asked for camping. It was not problem.
This station was small, so I first tried to find a spot behind the building. I was checking around and cleaning up a spot where I can avoid the wind.

英語が少しできる軍人さんがいて事情を話すと、4km先にガソリンスタンドがあるらしい。そこなら野宿できるみたい。という事で今日もガソリンスタンド泊。別に不満は無い。今日のガソリンスタンドは敷地が小さくて最初敷地の裏にテントを張ろうとした。風が弱い場所を探してゴミをどかしていると。

Then I saw a scorpion!! It was very nasty looking; small and black. It must be a very poisonous.
I decided not to camp on this spot. I eventually pitched my tent in front of the cafe. It would be much safer.

サソリーーー！！ うぇ～ 気持ち悪い。小さくて黒くていかにも猛毒持ってそう。こんな場所で野宿して間違って刺されでもしたら明日の朝ミイラになっちまう。仕方ない、今日はガソリンスタンドの表で野宿。背に腹はかえられません。