📍 Location: From Dakhla, Western Sahara to Nouadhibou, Mauritania🗓️ Date: October 10, 2025🎧 Episode Notes: October 10th was a really big day — one of the longest and most complicated travel days so far. We needed to be out of Dakhla by today because our export license plates were expiring, and without valid insurance, we couldn’t legally drive in Western Sahara anymore.After fueling up on cheap diesel — just over a dollar a liter — we passed through the windswept area where kitesurfers from all over the world gather. From there, the road stretched endlessly south toward the Moroccan border, dotted with police checkpoints where we patiently handed over passports and fiches.Reaching the border to leave Morocco was an exercise in patience — four hours of waiting, scanning, stamping, and navigating without signs or clear instructions. We were lucky compared to others who had to empty their entire vehicles. Once through, the pavement disappeared, replaced by a rough, unmarked road through a no-man’s-land filled with trucks, dust, and confusion.We met the head of the gendarmerie, who assigned us a “helper.” It cost us some money, but honestly, it was worth every euro — without him, we’d probably still be there. He guided us through a maze of six or seven different offices, each demanding paperwork, payments, or signatures. Between visas, insurance, and exchanges, we must’ve stopped at every possible window along the way.By the time we crossed into Mauritania, the sun was long gone. Driving in the dark was nerve-wracking — sand on the road, camels, goats, and invisible potholes kept me on edge. Johan managed to find a hotel online, but none of the systems worked out — the places didn’t exist or were impossible to reach. Finally, a kind local drove ahead of us to guide us to a small but perfect hotel where we could rest.It wasn’t cheap, and the process was chaotic, but as I lay in bed that night, I couldn’t help but feel grateful. We’d crossed another border, entered a new country, and made it safely through one of the most unpredictable travel days yet.🕰️ Key Moments:00:00 – Leaving Dakhla with expiring license plates02:30 – Fueling up and passing the kitesurfing area04:45 – Multiple police stops and passport checks07:10 – Long delays at the Moroccan border10:20 – Navigating the customs process and vehicle scans13:50 – Entering the rough, unmarked road between borders16:30 – Meeting the gendarmerie and hiring a helper20:00 – Paying for Mauritanian visas and insurance24:15 – Driving into Mauritania after dark27:40 – Struggling to find a hotel and being guided by a kind local30:00 – Ending the day safely in Nouadhibou after a long, exhausting border crossing

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