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[frankkk]

Starting there and heading home would soon have you at the ferry and then it's Spain, France. Now if they were to start a little further south, say Timbuktu.

No way Rose, they wouldn’t be traveling across Mali, Niger, Algeria..although spectacular, way too dangerous, with tricky logistics for the unassuming. The only country that is feasible is Morocco, unless they’re staying in Europe..

 

[DCPU]

Yes, I'm sure you're right... just dreaming. Timbuktu was one of those places I used to read about in books all about desert adventure when I was a child.

 

[globalgregors]

Starting there and heading home would soon have you at the ferry and then it's Spain, France. Now if they were to start a little further south, say Timbuktu...

Position wanted.

 

[Tazzieman]

Camel toe pics. Hmmm.

 

[frankkk]

Yes, I'm sure you're right... just dreaming. Timbuktu was one of those places I used to read about in books all about desert adventure when I was a child.

Me too-)..quite an elusive destination..another good starting point would be the festival du Niger in Segou..amazing display of Saharan art and music..let’s keep dreaming, maybe one day..

 

[ECrider]

Regardless of the route they are/have taken surprised not seen anything on the t'interweb media. Surely must've passed through some civilisation

 

[Logsplitter]

No way


No way Rose, they wouldn’t be traveling across Mali, Niger, Algeria..although spectacular, way too dangerous, with tricky logistics for the unassuming. The only country that is feasible is Morocco, unless they’re staying in Europe..

Mauritania is a great destination and safe too. Many Overlanders go there. Also the countries to the west and south of there. Too many scare stories, although I do agree about Mali, Burkina Faso etc. at the moment. Senegal, Guinea etc are fine. If it calms down then Mali is an interesting country. Been there in the past and the mud mosque in Djenne is must along with the Bandiagara escarpment.

 

[globalgregors]

Camel toe pics. Hmmm.

Soz, should’ve marked it NSFW.

 

[globalgregors]

Me too-)..quite an elusive destination..another good starting point would be the festival du Niger in Segou..amazing display of Saharan art and music..let’s keep dreaming, maybe one day..

Is that the festival Ry Cooder was involved with? That must be great, been listening to those Desert Blues compilations for 20 years+.
Algerian Sahara was a no-travel when I was there last (2005), is that route open or would you go through Western Sahara (is it still sketchy?)?
I’m presuming a corporate is going to be pretty risk averse - they just want some good photo ops after all - not an actual adventure.

 

[Tazzieman]

Mauritania is a great destination and safe too. Many Overlanders go there. Also the countries to the west and south of there. Too many scare stories, although I do agree about Mali, Burkina Faso etc. at the moment. Senegal, Guinea etc are fine. If it calms down then Mali is an interesting country. Been there in the past and the mud mosque in Djenne is must along with the Bandiagara escarpment.

I went to a talk by a South African microbiologist many years ago ; his colourfully illustrated experiences with travellers and tropical diseases would make your hair stand on end.
Add that to the extensive tropical disease/parasitology training we received at med school , it spooked me (and my wife).
But the again we have bad stuff in Australia. Various types of mosquito borne viruses -> encephalitis , and other nasties are making the news.
You just want to make sure you can access a quality hospital when you travel.
I'm not really up for transfusions and injections in under resourced countries.
That said, I might get bitten by a tiger snake in the garden tomorrow. Or a mosquito tonight. But no encephalitic viruses here - not troppo enough.

 

[Logsplitter]

I went to a talk by a South African microbiologist many years ago ; his colourfully illustrated experiences with travellers and tropical diseases would make your hair stand on end.
Add that to the extensive tropical disease/parasitology training we received at med school , it spooked me (and my wife).
But the again we have bad stuff in Australia. Various types of mosquito borne viruses -> encephalitis , and other nasties are making the news.
You just want to make sure you can access a quality hospital when you travel.
I'm not really up for transfusions and injections in under resourced countries.
That said, I might get bitten by a tiger snake in the garden tomorrow. Or a mosquito tonight. But no encephalitic viruses here - not troppo enough.

Yes all depends on your attitude to risk. A few years travelling in Africa inc UK to Cape Town in 1995. Living in Malawi and lots of travels in between and since. I was diagnosed with Schistosomiasis (Bilhartzia) last year. 10 years after leaving Malawi where I almost certainly contracted it. I have had major stomach surgery since almost certainly complicated and made worse by the Bilhartzia. It doesn’t stop me travelling. Malaria while living in Malawi, scorpion and spider bites. A week in a police station in the Central African Republic negotiating a fine.
All part of the fun and endless tales to tell around the camp fire

 

[Tazzieman]

Yes all depends on your attitude to risk. A few years travelling in Africa inc UK to Cape Town in 1995. Living in Malawi and lots of travels in between and since. I was diagnosed with Schistosomiasis (Bilhartzia) last year. 10 years after leaving Malawi where I almost certainly contracted it. I have had major stomach surgery since almost certainly complicated and made worse by the Bilhartzia. It doesn’t stop me travelling. Malaria while living in Malawi, scorpion and spider bites. A week in a police station in the Central African Republic negotiating a fine.
All part of the fun and endless tales to tell around the camp fire

I've read tons of travel books ; Christopher Many has some ripper tales. I think he's been continually globetrotting for about 25 years now.
And all those intrepid explorers of the past , present and future,
I always reckon a trip only becomes an adventure when there is peril to be had , and that you usually recall the bad bits more clearly and loudly than the good bits!

 

[Logsplitter]

I've read tons of travel books ; Christopher Many has some ripper tales. I think he's been continually globetrotting for about 25 years now.
And all those intrepid explorers of the past , present and future,
I always reckon a trip only becomes an adventure when there is peril to be had , and that you usually recall the bad bits more clearly and loudly than the good bits!

Exactly. Adversity is what’s makes proper traveling and overlanding. They’re the bits you remember the most. I met up with one of my traveling companions from 1995 at the Grenadier at the vinyard event on Saturday. Many of the old tales came out

 

[ECrider]

blimey - just had to google bilhartzia. sounds awful. hope all settles down

 

[Logsplitter]

blimey - just had to google bilhartzia. sounds awful. hope all settles down

I had major surgery in November and another operation to come probably in March. Then collect my Grenadier trial it for a few months The Ship to Cape Town for 6 months travel around Southern Africa. So probably more spider bites and other Grenadier stories to tell. Happy days to come.
,

 

[bemax]

I went to a talk by a South African microbiologist many years ago ; his colourfully illustrated experiences with travellers and tropical diseases would make your hair stand on end.
Add that to the extensive tropical disease/parasitology training we received at med school , it spooked me (and my wife).
But the again we have bad stuff in Australia. Various types of mosquito borne viruses -> encephalitis , and other nasties are making the news.
You just want to make sure you can access a quality hospital when you travel.
I'm not really up for transfusions and injections in under resourced countries.
That said, I might get bitten by a tiger snake in the garden tomorrow. Or a mosquito tonight. But no encephalitic viruses here - not troppo enough.

For many people in Germany (maybe Europe) Australia seems to be a very dangerous country to travel because everything deadly venom feels at home there.
How do you in Australia look at those friendly fellows (snakes, spiders, jellyfish, crocodiles, sharks) are you very careful while traveling ore do not that many deadly animals make it to the areas where you travel?

 

[ECrider]

I always thought anything north of Brisbane was either trying to kill you or eat you or both

 

[bemax]

I always thought anything north of Brisbane was either trying to kill you or eat you or both

DaveB is north of Brisbane, isn’t he?

 

[frankkk]

Mauritania is a great destination and safe too. Many Overlanders go there. Also the countries to the west and south of there. Too many scare stories, although I do agree about Mali, Burkina Faso etc. at the moment. Senegal, Guinea etc are fine. If it calms down then Mali is an interesting country. Been there in the past and the mud mosque in Djenne is must along with the Bandiagara escarpment.

Wouldn't be too sure about safety in Mauritania now, the most spectacular regions are off limits, the rest is barren land. Travel warnings are in place. The Western Sahara Situation on that route does not help either, unrest can break out any time.

The "traditional Saharan route" to Segou goes via Bordj Mokthar, alternatively via Tam, Agadez and Niamey.

 

[Logsplitter]

Wouldn't be too sure about safety in Mauritania now, the most spectacular regions are off limits, the rest is barren land. Travel warnings are in place. The Western Sahara Situation on that route does not help either, unrest can break out any time.

The "traditional Saharan route" to Segou goes via Bordj Mokthar, alternatively via Tam, Agadez and Niamey.

I get what you’re saying but if I listened to the British FCO advice I wouldn’t go anywhere. The same advice was in place three years ago for the Adrar region when I was there. There are army and police check points everywhere to make sure you are safe. Western Sahara the same. Check out the FCO advice for South Africa and Pakistan. Lovely countries but bloody dangerous apparently. I’ve been to both recently and love them both.
Australians are advised to “Exercise a high degree of caution in the U.K. due to the threat of terrorism”. What’s that about.
For sure a corporate event wouldn’t go there but for Overlanders these are the exiting places in my view.
Maybe I’m just reckless.