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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 10 Sep 2009
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Safety situation in the entire Sahara

the situation is changing in the entire world through the financial situation that you also feel in the sahara.
So because I myself see big changes happening in the last years I think that is an issue we should consider - may be you could help me - to think how this situation could be changed.
How to make travelling in the sahara safer. Ofcourse through knowledge that is always good. To inform each other...
but couldn't we do more...it would be interesting to hear different opions on that matter, I ofcourse have my own...like everyone also has got his own


but shouldn't we start being active instead only observing. May be now you still find some places where it is rather save, but what is the situation in 1, 2 or even 5 years, do we want to stop travelling to the Sahara???
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  #2  
Old 10 Sep 2009
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So many different conflicts
Al Qaeda, Niger, Tchad, Sudan....also the influence of climate and economy...the West and the Chinese....
Where should we start? :confused1:
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  #3  
Old 11 Sep 2009
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Originally Posted by Tango View Post
May be now you still find some places where it is rather save,...do we want to stop travelling to the Sahara???
Want a safe holiday? Go on a cruise for OAPs. But wait! It can be also frought with dangers, see Congress Eyes Cruise Ship Dangers - ABC News

Man, where's your sense of adventure?
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  #4  
Old 11 Sep 2009
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safety situation

the sense of advanture is still there, I'm not talking about right now, I'm trying to look to the future and that doesn't look nice.

The advanture in some years - is sitting on a sofa looking to TV movies - to say those were the old good times...

The other subject is more realistic, where to start, to many of them...for sure and they will become more and more...?

So where to start, what have all in common, that might be one start if they have something in common...

or folks have you any other idea's so here is the place to write... that would be a start for the time being?

have a safe travel
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Old 11 Sep 2009
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Quote:
the sense of advanture is still there, I'm not talking about right now, I'm trying to look to the future and that doesn't look nice.

The advanture in some years - is sitting on a sofa looking to TV movies - to say those were the old good times...

The other subject is more realistic, where to start, to many of them...for sure and they will become more and more...?

So where to start, what have all in common, that might be one start if they have something in common...

or folks have you any other idea's so here is the place to write... that would be a start for the time being?

have a safe travel
bloody 'ell! I feel like dougle of father ted! I cant make sense of it?
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Old 11 Sep 2009
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bloody 'ell! I feel like dougle of father ted! I cant make sense of it?

Not just me then, I thought I had lost the plot for a while.
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  #7  
Old 11 Sep 2009
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Does Grant/HUBB offer something similar to Google translate to help?
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Old 11 Sep 2009
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mmm :confused1: :confused1: :confused1: no idea what this post is about..... I must be getting old...

MotoE. Firefox has an add-on called Babelfish V1.74 that will translate for you.
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Old 11 Sep 2009
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sorry Tango, I feel as the primer for the 'rude' comments I should try a little harder to understand you. I think you mean (in a non patronising tone)

that the sahara is a very beautiful place but yet not a place to be if you are worried about safety. minefields, dodgy borders and deep desert terrorist cells and so on. your worried about where this is going; the future of this desert is uncertain and may only be able to be experienced via a tv show.

I think you also ask 'where to start', I drew a conclusion that you are reacting to the many questions posted on the hubb regarding where to start a sahara tour?

am I anywhere near the ball park?
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Old 12 Sep 2009
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safety

sorry it was properbly my mistake from the begining so for devildriver and others, priffe understood what that was all about...


"So many different conflicts
Al Qaeda, Niger,Tchad , Sudan....also the influence of climate and economy...the West and the Chinese....
Where should we start? :confused1:"

So here I try again my explanation:

If you still remember the first days of modern Sahara travels, back in the 1970s and 1980s, there were other problems which were no good maps, no good informations, you had not so much equipment, may be some problems with the climate.... but you could always and everywhere count on the assistance of the locals....In those days if one had problems with the navigation he stopped and asked the next local, who would help.

So if you start comparing that with the late 1990s and even the 2000s you find the situation completely changes, so the question here is why that happened... has it something do to with us travellers, or is the time only changing like all over the world even in the Sahara. the question is can't we do anything about it ourselves. At least we could start thinking about it...
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  #11  
Old 12 Sep 2009
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Greed has affected our world - in some places affected by poverty, war, economic struggle etc. where there is suffering, security has changed.
Cities I have found to be the most inhospitable places but, thank goodness almost all the people I met on my travels have been welcoming, hospitable and helpful- and those that had little still offered to share with me.
I just give as big as smile as I can and, if appropriate, a strong handshake or the correct greeting in their language- There are some wonderful andf amazing people out there and I believe more good people than bad-
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Old 22 Sep 2009
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Originally Posted by Bertrand View Post
Greed has affected our world - in some places affected by poverty, war, economic struggle etc. where there is suffering, security has changed.
Cities I have found to be the most inhospitable places but, thank goodness almost all the people I met on my travels have been welcoming, hospitable and helpful- and those that had little still offered to share with me.
I just give as big as smile as I can and, if appropriate, a strong handshake or the correct greeting in their language- There are some wonderful andf amazing people out there and I believe more good people than bad-
What we really have done to lift the people of the desert from its atavic
undervelopment? I can't avoid to think how many billions Dollars had been
thrown out in the army-industrial complex to accomplish with the Bush's
disastrous war in Irak,when these miserables were dying for the famine
and the malaria disease. Malaria is really a cruel disease but with more
investment in cleaning the rotten water pools a very good and useful
aid to fight the widespread of this disease,brought up on the mosquitos'
wings,one clear step could be done,on waiting the last result of a
successful series of text for the vaccine.

Help the ppl to take care of themselves without any mercy!

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Old 22 Sep 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
sorry it was properbly my mistake from the begining so for devildriver and others, priffe understood what that was all about...


"So many different conflicts
Al Qaeda, Niger,Tchad , Sudan....also the influence of climate and economy...the West and the Chinese....
Where should we start? :confused1:"

So here I try again my explanation:

If you still remember the first days of modern Sahara travels, back in the 1970s and 1980s, there were other problems which were no good maps, no good informations, you had not so much equipment, may be some problems with the climate.... but you could always and everywhere count on the assistance of the locals....In those days if one had problems with the navigation he stopped and asked the next local, who would help.

So if you start comparing that with the late 1990s and even the 2000s you find the situation completely changes, so the question here is why that happened... has it something do to with us travellers, or is the time only changing like all over the world even in the Sahara. the question is can't we do anything about it ourselves. At least we could start thinking about it...
Cheer up Tango

You will first find out if you get up on your bike and start your adventures. I can only tell from my own experiences of people I meet They are of the most friendliest were ever you go. Of cause one can get unlucky and run into a bad person anywhere (can also happen in Denmark which is a fairly safe country).
Most of all, go with an open mind, and don't think negative! Of cause you should stay away from areas of Al Qaeda, "go with common sense and smile to people you meet around the globe" and I'm sure you will get your best ride ever! That is my recipe I got from a guy in here, and it seems to work well. Otherwise I should do as an other one said here. "Stay home and barricade the door". No way, I want to see the world, of cause taking precautions. Finally don't believe in everything people tell you of a country, area or city, if you haven't seen it with your own eyes. I'm sure the world is what you want it to be... Has the world changed? Maybe, or maybe we just see it with different eyes from generation to generation. Good people are still out there, I can assure you...

Get up on the bike and meet a crazy Dane out there.........

mhoey
Around the World Journey | mhoey
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  #14  
Old 22 Sep 2009
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The "natives" are a bit upset ? yes ! slowly they do find out that our economical richness and rather excess depends in their poverty. The intrinsical terrorism of our economical system. Would not you be upset ?

As said before:
"go with common sense and smile to people you meet around the globe"


It does work ! (most times) Even when you have the AK' pointing at your chest.

The Sahara may be dangerous to the body but life in Europe is definitely as dangerous to the spirit

Or, as they say in Sicilia: If there is death there is hope.
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  #15  
Old 23 Sep 2009
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Revenge between desert tribes is a deep rooted reaction since the beginning of life.
In the desert there is not enough water, in case a tribe attacked another killing some of them it means the attacking tribe is becoming stronger, larger in number and would claim more water share.
The victim tribe then must seek revenge killing the same number from the attacking tribe to sustain balance.
When it gets to water, it’s a matter of life or death, its water for your kids or mines!
This is a golden market for weapon dealers!
At some point this weapons would be used in rubbery or kidnapping like in the case of Darfur – gilf kebir kidnapping last September.
Can travelers dreaming of a desert paradise stop the military industrial complex? NO
But the Africans themselves can stop buying weapons and fighting each other? YES
In Libya the grand sanusi did it, bringing peace among the aggressive eastern Sahara tribe, trade was booming and it was said that a Bedouin lady can travel in the desert alone without any problem!
What can we do? As travelers:
Maybe a sticker on our precious 4x4 or bike saying to the Africans:
STOP BUYING WEAPNS, FIGHT LIKE AN AFRICAN MAN WITH YOUR OWN HANDS!
Silly dream huh? Ok what else can we do?



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