More stupid questions

---

I'm now in Dahkla, in the Western Sahara. The journey took 22 hours. It might have been quicker if we hadn't been stopped at police check points and asked the same damn fool questions so many times. Governments always put up so many checkpoints when their authority in the area is in question. The other dead give away about the contested nature of this region was all the big White 4 wheel drive cars with the letters UN on the side!



The questions that annoy me, include being asked my profession. If I told the truth, NONE! Place of permanent residence, NONE!



I've chucked my job and sold my house. So, I'm a work shy bum, living off the money from the sale of my house; of no fixed abode. I don't think that answer would go down well! I was putting down my last occupation, but that only seems to confuse the officials, as they have no idea what it is. So, I've reinvented myself, for the purposes of the stupid forms and stupid questions I am now a teacher! It gets through the process much quicker. And lets face it, they are hardly likely to check. In fact, what happens to all these forms?



Rant over.



I arrived into town at about 5.30pm, and found a hotel fairly quickly just around the corner from the bus stop, in the centre of town.



After sorting myself out, I then looked for something to eat. It was 6.10pm. The first place turned me away, as they had finished serving at 6pm. The second place also told me that they had finished for the day, but maybe because I looked so desperate, he relented and decided to serve me anyway. He saved my life. I really appreciated that meal of fish soup, followed by fresh grilled fish and chips(or for Americans French Fries).



After that I asked at the bus office about a bus to the Mauritanian border, to be told to go to the Hotel Sahara. They told me the bus was at 9am, and took details of my hotel and room number. So, if I'm not up , they can drag me out of bed!


Approaching Dakhla there was an amazing view of the desert melting into the sea, from the bus window. I didn't get a picture. I will have to see if I can remember to get a picture tomorrow, on my way out towards Mauritania.

---

Photos

Dakla
My hotel looks OK, but its back to squat toilets and shared bathrooms, but at 60 Dirhams, with functioning electric sockets to charge my I Pod I'm not complaining.

Western Sahara
A Saharan Service Station