IRON ORE TRAIN TRIP DAY 203 - 206

NADIHBOU TO ZOURATE    660kms

16.5 hrs

THURSDAY  21st November 2024

Day 203

Good to be camping again, was tucked under a tree and didn't use the rain fly so was nice and airy. Went into town with Victor and got a Sim card and some supplies for the train and dropped of his bike for repairs.

Picked up four guys that had come down with the train and took them to his camp. I had to hustle and park my bike and put my tent in the garage and pack my travel back and then Trish took Christine and myself to the station. Christine is French and has lived here and knows people so  we got a compartment just for us luckily. You would normally have had four or five e or six more locals in with you. A very basic train, it just rocks and shakes  violently all the way. Travels on the border of the disputed Western Sahara where nobody is allowed and has a lot of military posta along the way where the soldiers climb off. Kinda fun being with all the locals, they cook in the isle, pray in the isle and sit there and sing along to the blaring music.

The train stopped in a siding to allow the loaded train from Zourate to pass and I jumped up on the next coach which had a section of just framework with no deck on and wheels exposed. So I took a video of the loco.otives passing and then my train surged forward unexpectedly and it was a close call for me and stupid. Once I gathered myself and balance I quickly had to climb down and go to my car while it was moving. I quickly put my phone in my pocket before I climbed down but I put it in the split of my pants and it slid down my leg as I was going down, so almost lost that aswell. Some poor judgement and the guys saw me and came over and asked if I was okay after seeing my stumble on the framework. In the video you can see my panic. 

Was actually able to sleep on the train and it cooled down to where I had to get a blanket out. We arrived in Zourate at 8:30 am and then Christine's guy arranged a vehicle to pick us up and she went to his place and I got a hotel. The shower had a lot of pressure and was hot, not a normal combination so that worked out great and got the lady to wash my shirt as I didn't bring any clothing. Went for lunch and tomorrow we head back.

Saturday 23 November 24

They picked me up at hotel and we took taxi to the guys house in Fderick and went to his house for tea with his family and then wanted us to stay the night.

    Taxi to the train.

 We then walked around his place and then taxi to the train at 1pm but it arrived at 4pm and we hopped on the 4th iron ore car. There were about eight other foreigners there and luckily they were on the cars behind us cause all they did was make video's of themselves the entire trip, jumping from car to car and climbing down ladder, all to make YouTube videos.

Wasn't as bad as I expected, brought a mattress, sleeping bag, jacket and tarp. Was quite comfortable laying down and wasn't hot luckily and two hours later the sun set and the best part of the night was stareing at the millions of stars and three or four shooting stars and Elon Musk's  satellites. 

Surprisingly slept well and woke up to a desert sunrise which is just like anywhere else. The cars just had a gentle rock to them nothing like the carriage coming up to Zourate. The dust sand blowing was not an issue and wore sunglasses and was fine but after twenty hours it did collect on my face and everywhere else.

Arrived in Nadihbou at 11:45 and got a taxi back to the camp.Trish makes you go swim and ringe off then I was allowed to shower. There is another German guy on a 650GS that has been to Senegal and the Gambia and he gave me his Sim cards , so one less hassle. 

Trish made another great chicken. and vegetable dinner, I had'nt  eaten real food for two days besides apple and orange, so I woofed it down.