NOUADHIBOU — The Great Sojourn

181 - The Elusive Cap Blanc (Nouadhibou, Mauritania)

After some signature indecisiveness, we settled on an auberge (French for “inn”), but not before our taxi driver ferried us around town longer than he might’ve hoped. My sympathy evaporated when I discovered he’d screwed us bounteously before parting. He was “kind” enough to exchange our dirhams (Morocco) for ouguiya (Mauritania) at, unbeknownst to me, a preposterously low rate. Wait, a random taxi driver isn't the best place to exchange money? Who’d a thunk it?

No excuses. We were tired and stupid and couldn't be bothered to give a shit. Not knowing the exchange rate and arriving on a weekend did nothing to assist our cause…

Batch 31, Mauritaniaby Mr. Nos T. O'maniacNovember 17, 2019Mauritania, NOUADHIBOU, downward facing dog, Cap Blanc, Ras Nouadhibou

182 - Oh, Fate, You Fickle Beeotch (Nouadhibou, Mauritania)

We liked flexibility, but Ahmed couldn’t quite wrap his mind around the fact we weren’t sure how many days we might require his services. We wanted freedom. He wanted specifics. His personality contradictions were too numerous to track, and we couldn't decide if he was deliberately evasive or if cultural and language barriers were to blame. A week after returning from the sandbox, we still didn't know. He would turn out to be an indecipherable enigma, as well as a bit of a conniver.

After throwing around possible itineraries and itemizing costs, we told Ahmed we had to mull it over. So, we mulled and mulled…

Mauritania, Batch 31by Mr. Nos T. O'maniacNovember 16, 2019NOUADHIBOU, Mauritania