I, Manon, remember the day that we left very vividly. Waving at family and friends, tooting the horn one last time and then one ‘box’ against Tobias’ fist. From now on we would be on our own for a very, very long time. With only two months of preparation I knew little of what was yet to come. Although I was the one who rooted for Africa instead of South-America while working on our travel plans, my knowledge about the continent was limited and I had solely trusted on my gut feeling.
Those first five weeks in Europe, which we purposefully chose as Manon had to fly back to the Netherlands one last time in September, turned out to be perfect for us. While traveling through eastern France, Spain and Portugal, we were able to finetune Rafiki’s setup. With extraordinary heat in France we found out our solar panel did not supply enough energy for both the fridge/freezer combination and our laptops and camera gear. An additional solar panel and lithium battery from Jackery were easily purchased as we were still relatively close to home.
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Arriving in Africa
Arriving in Africa five weeks after we had left the Netherlands felt like the perfect timing. Although the European continent could probably keep us entertained until the end of days, we were ready for a challenge both physically and mentally. With sunrays reaching our rooftent early in the morning, it didn’t take long to experience severe heat in the hottest season Morocco had to offer. Sometimes we doubted if we had made the right choice, as we appeared to be some of the earliest overlanding tourists of this season. Yet, while travelling through the Atlas Mountains, standing in the presence of a group of Barbery Macaques living their wild lives, we knew we had made the right choice.
Descending southwards in the months after, multiple borders were crossed. From Morocco into Mauritania and then to Senegal and The Gambia. The more countries we visited, the more cultures and ethnical groups we encountered. Some moments are nearly indescribable, such as the moment two young guys on a scooter stopped near our car to invite us for dinner to one of their houses. We were welcomed with open arms by a family we had never met. Sitting on the couch, trying to communicate in a language we did not master, we were greeted by more people as the time passed. Long after the sun had set and our stomachs were filled with bread and a variety of toppings, we said goodbye to this loving family.
Cultural differences
In Mauritania, hospitality once again was present everywhere. The night after crossing the border, two local guys – probably just a few years older than us – drove their car up to where we had parked. Without asking anything in return they told us about national treasures that we had to discover in the coming weeks as well as cultural details such as Mauritanian mint tea – which is as a matter of fact not the same as Moroccan mint tea. Luckily, we got to try the tea with a local family near the Ben Amera, while driving alongside the Iron Ore Trail.
The crossing to Senegal was the first real culture shock we experienced as the streets were suddenly bustling with market stalls, locals and loud music. In comparison to the desert stretches we had experienced in Mauritania, our heads were dazzling and as the clock hit 4:00 PM we were tired beyond comparison. Those first few days in Senegal surely took some adjusting. People, however, were still as nice and welcoming as we had seen before. Unfortunately, we also got to experience the downside of this hospitality and interest as people more than once approached us, sat down against the car and did not move for approximately two hours without saying much. After all, we still did not master the French language very well.
That changed in The Gambia, where nearly everyone is bilingual with English as their second language. Communicating became easier and so did our conversations. With a leaking vacuum pump, Manons’ tooth inflamed and a long waiting time for the Guinea-Conakry visa, the English language had become our saving grace. One thing was for sure: we were experiencing Africa to the fullest.
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All the moments together
While traveling together 24/7, we got our fair share of tough moments. Those times, as well as the times that we couldn’t stop laughing because of something funny that happened, tested us as new travel buddies. Although we barely knew each other the moment we stepped into Rafiki to descend to South Africa, our relationship changed constantly while growing closer day after day. Nowadays we get to call ourselves a couple and honestly, we couldn’t have wished for it any other way. Sharing a trip so distinct and so impactful with someone you will spend your life with, is something we can recommend to everyone we know. As for us, we can’t wait to grow closer together in the coming months of descending towards the south.
Africa 2022/2023 – the route after five months
So we’ve been on the road for five months now. In that time we covered 15.000 km and visited 13 countries, including the border-hops in Europe. Below you can see the route we’ve driven so far.
I am prepping my 110 and brothers 130 for similar trips. So glad to find your website and look forward to hearing your experiences. I live in Italy and if you are ever passing through and need a pizza, our door is open.