Kosando ...

Alex, Gianni and I finally found a taxi driver that agreed to our price to take us to Kosando. The journey out there was interesting as we drove past what must be the worlds biggest shipwrecked beach. He dropped us at the beach and we wandered around the village complex, a lot of flats and small houses in remarkably good condition. A school was there that I presume was sponsored by the company. The people there were suprised to see us, I don't think it's on the normal tourist track, but then nor is Mauritania really!

We had left Imal Camping with our swimsuits in the hope of swimming there, Julian gave us a parting shot as we left about being stupid to swim in an Atlantic rip tide. Kosando is on the 'inside' of NBD's peninsula so therefore tides weren't really a problem, however the beach was overlooked and there were a few kids that joined us. When we saw what was in the water, we decided against it, far too much 'disturbed' mucky waters from the large tankers that come past to fill up with iron ore.

Returning back to central NBD, we got out of the taxi outside La Baie du Levrier and had another tea with Ali. Alex was wondering where to go next prior to flying out of Atar on New Years Day, the answer was waiting for her. At Ali's was Massimo, an Italian lawyer who had just arrived in his Land Cruiser and told some hysterical tales about landmines exploding under a vehicle causing the Swiss occupants to jump out of their vehicle and the same couple writing their GPS codes of their home address on the side of their vehicle! He was also having a dilemma as to whether to go to Atar along the railway piste (on the right as the left side is heavily landmined - the right has a few though!) or go down to Nouachkott. Alex asked if he was going to Nouachkott if she could join him ... he said he would make the decision over supper with us at Les Trois Etoiles!

We met Massimo as planned, Julian came to join us for dinner but as Massimo also spoke French, the language - as with the rest of the trip, was in French. He found this hard going and after handing Massimo one of his now famous travellers business cards, left us to it, so quietly that Massimo didn't realise for a while that he had gone, just gaffawed when he saw the card next to his glass. Little Aiwa, the restaurants 2 year old daughter spent the whole evening with us, playing and mimicking Gianni! It was agreed that Alex would meet Massimo the next morning to head south to Nouakchott and we would catch the train out to Choum and then onto Atar and Chinguetti.