Following security problems last year with the Mali stages of the Rally, ASO (the Rally organisers) concentrated this year’s sand stages in Mauritania, with that country hosting eight of the fifteen stages. In recent days, however, there have been security problems in Mauritania as well, with an attack on tourists in December and another–perhaps related–attack on soldiers.
Despite the Mauritanian government pledging an additional 2000 troops and 1000 police to help maintain security, the French Foreign Ministry issued a warning strongly advising its citizens (who comprise 30 per cent of the competitors) not to enter Mauritania. ASO today announced the decision to cancel the 2008 Rally, citing “direct threats launched directly against the race by terrorist organisations.”
This must be a horrific blow to the five hundred Rally competitors who have each spent literally tens of thousands of pounds preparing for the event.
It Looks like I need a new header banner!
This is what I have been using until now, showing Si Pavey, Matt Hall and Charley Borman at the start of the special stage on the fourth day of the 2006 Rally.
Morocco/Western Sahara will still be safe, but I’m assessing what this means to the Mauritania/Senegal sections of my trip, especially the plans to meet Irene in Dakar on 19 Jan. At the moment the Foreign Office Advice for Mauritania is unchanged (other than noting the Rally cancellation). The coastal road through Mauritania is well away from the troubled areas of the country, and one possibility is to go ‘par convoi’ with a large group of other vehicles. This isn’t a decision I can make at the moment, though, I need to monitor the situation as I travel south. One thing is certain, I have a healthy regard for my personal safety!
I also had some other news. Adrian was loading his bike on BikeTruck on the evening of 31 Dec when the tractor unit caught fire. Fortunately there was no danger to the rear section carrying the bikes, and the emergency services arrived quickly and put the fire out. Billy Ward and his co-driver made arrangements for a replacement tractor unit and reportedly crossed the Pyrenees 3pm on 3 Jan.
Steve made it to Azrou on 2 Jan reporting high winds and forecasts of snow, so was planning to move further south.
In the meantime I’m all set to take the latenight train to Gatwick where I can hopefully kip somewhere until check-in opens about 4am. Some last-minute essentials threw themselves into my bulging tank bag when I wasn’t watching, including battery-operated speakers for watching DVDs on the notebook PC. It’s tough being a traveller.
Tim
There and Back Again 