From England, via the Channel Tunnel and then on down through France, into Spain and meeting up with the rest of our Group in a hotel in Sotogrande near Gibraltar.

From there it's by ferry to Morocco - noit sure which ferry to take yet. There's one to Tangiers or one to Cueta, the Spanish enclave in Morocco. Then down through Morocco, meeting up in Marrakesh for a rest night on Dereks' birthday. The we want to go via the Tiz-n-Test pass (high pass and great scenery) and southwards into the Western Sahara via Dakhla to the Mauritatina border. Once we have negotiated the minefield that marks the border we have the choice of a long beach drive or tarmac (!) road to the capital, Nouakchott. Depending on the time scale and how we are feeling will probably decide which way we go. One in Nouakchott it's all systems go to Mali and the capital Bamako where the challange ends. Again, there are various routes and time, etc will again pick our route for us.

All being well, it should take no more than 21 days from leaving the UK to arriving in Mali - we hope!!

POTENTIAL ROUTE                                                     Miles               Total

10th January      Depart UK                                               71                    71

13th January     Arrive Sotogrande in Spain                  1450                1521

14th January     Rest and repair day                                   0                1521

15th January     Ferry to Morocco, drive to Rabat           173                1694

16th January     Drive to Marrakech - Party time             205                1899

17th January     Rest/Recovery day                                    0                1899

18th January     Drive to Agadir                                       172                2071

19th January     Drive to Laayoune                                  433               2504

20th January     Drive to Dakhla                                       338               2842

21st January     Dtive to Nouadhibou  Mauritania             288               3130

22nd January    Rest/repair day/party                                  0               3130

23rd January    Into the Sahara Desert                             110              3240

24th January    Continue through the desert,

                   out of the National Park at Nouâmghar,

                   and part way down the beach.            120           3360

25th January  Continue down coast to Nouakchott      93           3453

26th January   Drive to Mbout                                           335              3788

27th January   Drive to Hamoud                                        146              3934

28th January   Drive to Kayes, entering Mali                     175              4109

29th Januaty   Drive to Kita                                               205              4314

30th January   Arrive in Bamako                                       112              4426

Rest and relaxation and delivery of medical and school supplys and then fly home on 4th February assuming the above goes to plan!!

Mileage estimated, depends on detours, getting lost, sightseeing and unexpected things that may happen!