some recent news on coming from mali into mauritnania. I guess most people will be coming from marocco heading to either mali or sengal.

we crossed into from mali to mauritnaia on the 27/09/2010 at nioro (mali, border 60km north of nioro) to gogui (mauritania)

very easy crossing. little hassle aside from us having to go back ot nioro to get a carnet stamp. that added an hour to our journey. we hadn't read about this, so anyone coming from the south, heading north into mauritnaia this way, get a stamp at the bureau of finances on the edge of town, coming from nioro centre, the office if just where you start heading to the border at the edge of town/or turn right to the tarmac to bamako (you will have come from this direction)

stashed last of s african red wine in roof tent for fear of being searched for alcohol

we made it to ayoun el atrous that day. stayed the night there with two french trucks. they went on ahead. we found them after a while , when we got into town. we followed them and camped in the middle of town

we got moved on by the police at 8 30 pm, they said it wasn't safe to camp, so we followed them in convoy to a police checkpoint at the edge of town. last check point as you leave town before you head to kiffa

Anyone staying in ayoun will have to do the same. we were intending to get to kiffa that day, but got delayed.

maybe more police points than normal, so take many fiche copies (details of your passports/registration number/chassis number to give to the police when you stop

it's our first time in mauritania, so not sure if this situation has changed because of the security. you feel like your being monitored for progress, so a good thing

felt safe anyway, and now in Nouakchott at auberge menata in the centre of town

more shade here than the auberge de sahara, 5 minutes drive away. well needed this time of year

heading to atar in next few days.

got mauritnaian visa in 20 minuted in bamako. embassy is near the chinese embassy or the dutch embassy in hippodrome area. easy to find.