E 'in 1985 when on board a R4, mythical car of the Renault deal with this trip we will
Sahara fall in love. Landed in Melilla, a English enclave in Moroccan land, the versatile small car without major changes if we exclude an additional air filter, a set of suspensions raised and sculpted tires brought us down in Algeria along the Moroccan border to the border of Figuig . not without long waits and red tape are unnerving in Algeria and along the Great Western Erg arrive at Adrar with stops at Taghit to see the cave paintings, and Beni Abbes.
Adrar From then on, the road becomes a track, "Bidon V" that brings in Mali, it Through the first part stopping to Reggane where we take the track across the "Plain du Tidikelt" reaches In Salah the Director-Tamanrasset Algiers. Before embarking on the journey we meet a pair of Biella Uaz a board that will be our companions for a long stretch of this journey, the track that gave to all our information and reported in good condition, in reality it is then up to Aoulef due to construction work (?), we must abandon the right track to pursue a secondary track that is neither reported it in good condition so that very soon we are in trouble and we are aided by a car of local inhabitants of the oasis Tit for , who offers to guide us.
From this point on the cover-ups do not count R4 but since a very light car can be solved in short with a good drive.
And 'In the afternoon when we reach Ghar, the goal of our stage where we are greeted by Musso, a friend of Walter, our traveling companion. In Ghar to remain a couple of days and our host takes us to a site in the desert where we can admire the "petrified forest " a show you'll never forget, even after 24 years! continue until In Salah accompanied by a sandstorm, and from there south along that road being the main north-south axis in Algeria we expect in good condition, but as shown by the Photo are the traits of those sand asphalt.
On this road we meet the "tole ondulee" , stretches of undulating terrain vehicles continue to impress that jolts, unfortunately you are experiencing problems with our first car off at each feel the heavy blow from the hood engine. However we come to where Arak stationed in a camp where the water is unlikely to be collected from a well by bucket and the local shop does not have anything to drink. The operators are waiting for the truck of supplies, that in fact arrive, but the drinks after traveling in the Algerian desert sun to a temperature close to boiling. The mechanical problem turns out to be heavier than expected, an elastic support of the engine has crumbled and the bumping against the gear lever is running out to any hill.
The next morning we decide to Tamanrasset continue for that is the goal of our trip, but soon we have to give because of mechanical failure and as our companions Valter, Silvia and Sergio continue we return to the north and only Ghardaia, a beautiful city dominated by the blue color of its houses, we find a repair shop that makes a fortune, however, there will up at home. now the time and miles will not allow us to reach our friends who have since come to Tamanrasset and so we leave them a message at the camp of Ghardaia to fix a date for departure to Tunis. We enter the customs Tunisia Nefta around and give us a few days between Tozeur, Douz, Matmata and the island of Jerba before rising Tunis to Trapani where we embark.
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