Sahara sun and sand

I've just returned from a very short trip to Akjoujt, Mauritania - where I went for work on another database job - who said IT careers were dull!

For those of you who don't know, Akjoujt is halfway between Nouakchott and Atar .... oh, you mean 'where is Mauritania?' Let's find out shall we - Mauritania is a saharan country in West Africa. It shares borders with Senegal, Mali, Algeria and the disputed territory of Western Sahara - it also has a rather dramatic and not-so-often-travelled coastline where nearly all the birds in Europe hang out at the end of their annual migration.

So I set forth from Paris for another (west) African adventure, overnighted in Nouakchott and then headed out along the sealed road (what a luxury!) into the heart of north eastern Inchiri province.


A sand dune

And the journey was spectacular - on both sides of the highway, and sometimes encroaching onto the edges of the highway - there were dunes as far as the horizon.


Desert mansion

In fact the dunes are so arresting that a very successful Nouakchott business man has built himself a glittering white mansion amongst it all.

After about 3 hours on the highway, we arrived in Akjoujt, which occupies stony desert, rather than dune country - the landscape is very different.


The outer 'burbs
Photo by Hannah G.

On the edge of town you can see that even in this stony country, the dunes are starting to bury the abandoned houses.


2 Star?

Fortunately, I had a room in the guesthouse and wasn't required to stay at this local hotel.


Central mosque

One of the most disappointing habits I've discovered after visiting places like this, is the attitude to rubbish. New rubbish dumps just appear anywhere - a blight on the landscape. And this is the central park around the mosque, the most important place in the cultural life of the town - strewn with refuse. A great shame.


Camel milking station
Photo by Nev P.

And the camels are everywhere! They provide the local community with milk, meat and a livelihood - and to me, a dyed-in-the-wool city girl, they are an exotic reminder that I am a long way from home!


Fuel stop

But there is also a more modern way of getting about the place - if your vehicle will start of course ...


A sign ...

... of what? I really don't know, but everyone looks excited.


Sunrise from the guesthouse

A day in the life of the local community is a little different from a day in the life of an expat working on the mine. Nev and Mike discuss which of the condiments might help improve/disguise/enhance the flavour of the fare provided by minesite catering.


Can I tempt you with some buldoo?

And yet, Lee still finds he has to BYO chilli sauce!


I need some of these ...

Lee and Hannah took us to their local supermarket in Akjoujt, this store provides almost everything you want, including fresh juice - actual 100% juice (not made from concentrate) even, and ...


Super Diana

... for a girl whose hair often gets the better of her, the Super Diana styling kit!

The supermarket visit of course was a preliminary pitstop for the main event of the week.


Wine and cheese night!

I'm always so impressed when people can serve up a spread like this despite being stuck in the middle of nowhere with limited resources available to them. I even got to sample the ...


Camel's milk cheese

... which in an unfortunate turn had gone bad. Very bad. There was definitely something wrong with this batch - the smell was iffy enough, but the taste, well let me say that I am pleased no-one had the video camera turned in my direction when I sampled it, because apparently my facial expression was an award-winning performance of horror and disgust.

The great pity of it all was that in it's runny, Dali-esque state, it had polluted the rather stupendous biltong that Will had prepared, flavoured with his latest spice and vinegar combination.


Camel herd

From that point I decided that the camels were best enjoyed for their picturesque qualities, and I probably will think twice about accepting any offers of camel food products in future.


Goat with a nappy
Photo by Nev P.

The other local beast that provides for the community is the goat, and they rule the streets, just as they do in Mali. Here in Akjoujt though, to ensure that the nanny-goat's milk gets the the people rather than the kids, these lady animals are commonly seen sporting a nappy - and the one above was by far the most flamboyant of all the goats in town.


Watertank Hill
Photo by Nev P.

We were blessed with some very clear days and took the opportunity of climing watertank hill to admire, once again, that ever-expanding view to the distant horizon.


Desert approaching dusk

And before I knew it, it was time to hit the highway again and head back to the embouteillages in Paris, but not before witnessing a very saharan ...


Camel crossing

... and a final look at the edge of the desert, where the Atlantic brings in the catch of the day.


Coast in Nouakchott