Words from an old git
This sounds like the grumblings of an old man but it's not like it was in my day !
in the early 90s, Overlanders were told to go to a particular travel company in Rabat where we could buy an airline ticket to Mauritania for around 400 pounds - we were to take the ticket to the Mauri Embassy to prove we were arriving by air and that was the only way to be granted a visa. After getting the Visa we were to return the ticket to the travel agency where we would get a 95% refund. For most people travelling north to south in Africa at the time, this was one of the very first things you had to do, and it all seemed very dodgy and a sure way to lose 400 pounds just a few days into the trip.
Even when fellow Brits told us to do it, we were sure it was a scam - but hey ho it all worked out but I think the modern way is a little more stress free.
I am sure the ease of a visa will encourage people to head a bit futher south than the Southern Atlas and do some deep Sahara exploring
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