Deserted

Desert piste outside Assemakka

In fact, the piste is pretty easy to follow, with few diversions and alternatives. We got bogged in the sand only twice, and though adjusting tire pressure to match the circumstances is a time consuming project, we made reasonable time. We stopped once to greet a couple of trucks we had seen leaving Assamaka and now stopped for lunch, but again the crews had rocks in their hands when we approached and we kept the interaction short (!!!!) The two Toyota Land Cruisers with machine guns mounted on the truck beds filled with soldiers we had seen earlier were long gone and no help.

Uranium Tailings at Arlit

The sun set on the surreal mountains of uranium tailings from the mines at Arlit, and we entered the town in darkness. Low, dark, teeming with people, it is impossible to understand or to convey an image from such a drive-through. We asked for the road to Agadez, rolled up to a police post, and were told that we could go no further. Three policemen and five Tuareg had been killed the night before in a gun Battle either on the road or in Ifraouine along the way.

We camped at the police post, I beat Wolf at chess yet again, and we were allowed to proceed early the next morning after paying 200 euro for road usage in Niger. When we discovered the paved road closed for resurfacing, Wolf ignored the diversion sign and continued on the road bed until a Toyota pickup truck with armed guard and some very upset road engineers accosted us and demanded a fine. Again Ahmed intervened, somehow convincing them that though we had indeed sinned, the exorbitant amount we had paid to drive on that road certainly demanded some consideration. After some heated debate we were allowed to proceed, on the dirt side road this time. Just 2 kilometers further the roadwork ended and we were back on pavement.

We stopped to clean the fuel filters and parked unknowingly on someone’s land. A very dignified older gentleman with very thick Mr. Magoo glasses greeted us and graciously allowed us to stay, presenting us fifteen minutes later with a pot full of rice and goat in a delicious jus. In turn Wolf left them kid’s clothes from Germany.

When 50 kilometers later the truck rolled to a stop of it’s own volition, Wolf looked down at the accelerator and we discovered it broken in two. Only by rigging some wires to a lever under the hood were we able to maintain control of the truck. We entered
Agadez that afternoon with Wolf steering, shifting and braking, me pulling the wires for acceleration from the jump seat, and Ahmed sleeping off lunch.

written by  roel krabbendam on February 9, 2007 from Arlit, Niger
from the travel blog: Harmattan
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