Brits Abroad Oi Oi!!

Don`t worry, we are safe, we managed to escape the certain death of being caught up in a Military Coup in Mauritania and eventually got our flight to that adventure hotspot of Gran Canaria last night. To be honest, if it was`t for someone telling us there was a coup happening we would have been none the wiser. A couple of 4x4s with some mean looking police on the street corners and everything shut for a day was all that I could see. It also sums up our luck that the day we booked a flight to leave they decide to have a coup, what are the chances. Our passage through the airport was smoothed over as part of the deal for selling the car with all questions over visas (ie where is your car that your visa has a stamp for?) politely disregarded at the airport, with assistance from a policeman friend of the cars new owner. Proper cloak and dagger stuff, hiding behind trees at the airport waiting for him to come out to speak to us and give us the ok. 

As we return to the normality and rather unexciting realm of europe Harriet the Chariot is preparing for her new life as a novelty taxi around the mean streets of Nouakchott. With a new engine she should be good to go, and provide a Mauritanian equivilent to all the stretch limos and Hummers roaming the street of the UK.

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We've made it to gran canaria! It's refreshing mild and it's a joy to see european luxuries such as pavements that are not made of sand!

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anyone for a game of draughts? If so get yourself down to the auberge sahara nouakchott, where we will most likely be spending the rest of time.

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as if 5 days in nouakchott were not enough, now a military coup has scuppered our plans of leaving. Think we may be forming the new a-team.

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sold - '77 austin allegro with no engine: 1euro

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dWell folks it looks like thats it. Car cant be fixed, the complications of getting a new one are too great and the lack of funds curtails any ideas of continuing by other means. It is with great sadness and a tear in my eye that at after 4801.8 team macaroon cameroon is officially retiring from the africa rally '08. We will now pursue a far more challenging adventure, trying to get drunk in a country where alcohol is illegal.

Anyone know an Austin parts dealer in Mauritania??

Well, we have made it to Nouakchott, not without our fair share of problems to report, the most pressing of which is the frustration of attempting to type on his french keyboard. To go through all the problems in this one blog would take to long so I'll keep it short and to the situation in hand. Currently we are in limbo, the Allegro is essentially no more, as due to a blown cylinder head gasket and damage to the valves the car won`t go much further unless new parts are found. As you can imagine, new parts for an Austin Allegro aren't so common in Mauritania, therefore we are considering selling it (1€ is our best offer so far) and purchasing a reliable peugot of some description that the mechanic can get for us. We will then continue on our way with this car until someone somewhere notices its not the car we have the paperwork for or intend to leave in Cameroon. This could be the Cameroon border or the first checkpoint down the road. The fun of adventure I guess.

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We're still in the capital of Mauritania just now waiting for our car to be repaired. The mechanic is having to get a gasket specially made for us because he has ran out of allegro gaskets! The hostel is only four quid a night though. Hopefully on the road tomorrow. @

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stranded in nouakchott as we wait for the mighty steed to be fixed. Current Problem: dodgy clutch and water in the engine. The car is absolutely fine apart from 3 things. Starting, moving and stopping. A days sightseeing in nouakchott awaits.

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we've made it to Mauritania! Crossing the border took five hours. We had to drive across no man's land which was proper off road driving. Stayed in a hostel where five other teams were staying. We're in a convoy of nine cars now@