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Hi every one, we are after as much information as possible for a trip we are doing in 2009 from Blackpool to Banjul. We are travelling through France, Spain, & Portugal, Then on to Africa, Morrocco, Western Sahara / Mauritania, Senagal, & finally The Gambia. We would welcome any travel advice, roads, stopovers, avoidances, In fact ANY INFORMATION particulaly for the African leg. Many Thanks Sandy

In time you will find that the cancelled Dakar had as much to do with other matters as well as the "Threats"....There are two other "Rallies" running down there at the moment with no probs as all...........But yes, 4 French tourist killed there [Mauri] just before Xmas.......MMmmmmm not as many as killed teanages on the streets of the UK!!!!

Motorhomes/Caravan owners love a drama......You are looking on the wrong site for this sort of info......go too     www.sahara-overland.com  for real info and/or ask at www.desertdetours.com  who are still running deep sahara tours [non-motorhome] as well as MH tours down the west coast as far as Senagal.

This what I found from a bit of googling, L/L---are you saying this isnt true?

The annual Paris-Dakar Rally which has been an institution since 1979 has been canceled this year because of terrorism threats. The organizers insist that the safety of participants comes first. The killing of four French tourists in a Mauritanian town through which rally participants pass, coupled with advisories from French intelligence were reasons for the cancellation.

The Mauritanian government had planned to place 4000 military personal in bivouacs at various points along the route. Ba Madine, the Minister of Tourism in Mauritania says, “When there’s a terrorist menace, the best way to deal with it is to confront it.”

Without going into detail......I have in the past been involved in the {what was then} Paris-Dakar and the Camel etc.....

These "Threats" were well known and have been ongoing for months/years.....plenty of time to cancel.......So why was it done with just HOURS to go......AFTER scrutineering and formal booking in?.....

Teams aside the financial implications for the "Locals" is huge....I was planning to be and most likley will still will be at the Er Rachidiar/Dakar bivi in Morocco [I was last year]. The organisation and employement is massive as the rally rolled onward.....

I think that this may well be the last Dakar and/or one of the last the French organisors will be involved in.......Budapest too ????? has already been contracted for 2010......Personally, and what do I know, I think it will move to the east [Russia] where they know how to deal with these "Threats"........

If you want to see who is really clapping and having a laugh go to one of the many "Jihad" sites and see what they are saying, after this result, about the Olimpics.....

Anyway, that it.....Off to Morocco tomorrow with a group of Mhome/Caravans for a few weeks, with desertdetours.......

LL.....

PS....I think if you looked at the per-cap figures for crime [murder] in these areas and given our so called civilised status and level of policing they [Mauri etc] don't do to bad!

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If you can travel with a group then you should be OK. The most interesting bit used to be between Morocco and Mauritania. It used to be shown on maps as "Western Sahara-Disputed Territories". This was because it was / is claimed by the Moroccans, The Mautitanians and the Algerians. The fact that there is an indigenous people who have lived there for some 3000 years does not seem to count for much.

This from Reuters today - http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN757004.html so it sounds like they may all well be "at it" again

In my experience of travel in Africa things arn,t as threatening or dangerous as we are often led to believe.I remember being cautioned against travel in numerous countries such as Algeria,Zaire,Burundi,Rwanda,Etc and have never had any serious problems,infact the only time ive been attacked in trips to over 70 countries was in Surrey.England.Nearly all my travels have been solo,often with a backpack.

Keep an eye on the situation and if things deteriate badly be flexable enough to make other plans.

My sister has been to the Gambia several times (on a plane) as an independent traveller.

She always takes some of my sons old clothes and books, toys etc as a thank you to the people she stays with.

Don't know about the other parts of Africa, but, as someone has already said, The Gambia is a relatively safe place.

Hi Sandy,

I've no advice or info. to offer in additon to the above more experienced travellers except to say 'wow' for planning to do such an adventurous trip. I wish you and your companions a safe experience of wonder and marvel.

Will you keep us all posted?