Once again I was driving behind Sweet Potato. This time, we decided I would follow the ambulance, meaning I would have to drive at the same speed as a brand new jeep driven by an experienced driver... or 90 km/h. It might not sound that much, but for an overloaded small motorbike it means driving on the limit of the engine speed and heating the engine more than I should. In any case, in less than 1h15m we covered 100 km and we got to Laayoune.
At the entrance of the city, the police stopped us. A quick check of the passports and we were allowed to move again. Ten meters ahead, we were stopped again. First, I thought it was going to be really fast as we had just been stopped (they had seen it!) and the caravan included an injured person going to the hospital. It didn't end up being that brief...
Police: Can I see your passport?
Clark: Yes, sure (while handing my passport)
The police went inside a small kiosk and came back
Police: Destination?
Clark: Mauritanie
He went inside again and some time later, another police came to me.
Police2: You know, we need to register all your data. Can I see your motorbike papers?
Clark: I have some papers with all the detailed info. Can you check it, please?
(I had prepared a small sheet of paper with all the relevant data of the motorbike and ours, including parents' names, job, etc... I am expecting to hand more than 30 of them further south, crossing Western Sahara and Mauritania)
Police2: Yes, it is ok! (after spending a fair amount to time looking at it) I need to include your entrance registration number in Morocco (and went inside again!!)
Overall, the total stop took almost half hour. If this is the standard when someone is inside an ambulance being transported to the hospital, I wonder how it would be without the ambulance!
Another ten minutes and we got to the hospital. The emergency room was almost empty and Sweet Potato was quickly observed. Time to do a couple of X-Rays (knee and foot) and in another hour or so we were done. Nothing was broken and the knee was bending again.
Meanwhile, the police had come to speak with me. He was from immigration and wanted to confirm we had our passports in order. After an easy talk, I asked for a suggestion for the hotel. His first question: Do you have a copy of your marriage certificate?. Surprised, but without showing it, I just replied: No!. Pas de problém was his answer when he started to dial a number on his cellphone. The same policeman took Sweet Potato to the hotel while I drove Tear Drop :)
Finally in the room and looking on the mirror, I wished I had joined the No Poo movement before and remembered that between the accident and the hotel, it had been more than 10 hours of pain, driving and concern.
It was definitely the longest day!
At the entrance of the city, the police stopped us. A quick check of the passports and we were allowed to move again. Ten meters ahead, we were stopped again. First, I thought it was going to be really fast as we had just been stopped (they had seen it!) and the caravan included an injured person going to the hospital. It didn't end up being that brief...
Police: Can I see your passport?
Clark: Yes, sure (while handing my passport)
The police went inside a small kiosk and came back
Police: Destination?
Clark: Mauritanie
He went inside again and some time later, another police came to me.
Police2: You know, we need to register all your data. Can I see your motorbike papers?
Clark: I have some papers with all the detailed info. Can you check it, please?
(I had prepared a small sheet of paper with all the relevant data of the motorbike and ours, including parents' names, job, etc... I am expecting to hand more than 30 of them further south, crossing Western Sahara and Mauritania)
Police2: Yes, it is ok! (after spending a fair amount to time looking at it) I need to include your entrance registration number in Morocco (and went inside again!!)
Overall, the total stop took almost half hour. If this is the standard when someone is inside an ambulance being transported to the hospital, I wonder how it would be without the ambulance!
 |
| Sweet Potato laying down while Clark was anxiously wait to get out of there and move to the hospital |
Meanwhile, the police had come to speak with me. He was from immigration and wanted to confirm we had our passports in order. After an easy talk, I asked for a suggestion for the hotel. His first question: Do you have a copy of your marriage certificate?. Surprised, but without showing it, I just replied: No!. Pas de problém was his answer when he started to dial a number on his cellphone. The same policeman took Sweet Potato to the hotel while I drove Tear Drop :)
Finally in the room and looking on the mirror, I wished I had joined the No Poo movement before and remembered that between the accident and the hotel, it had been more than 10 hours of pain, driving and concern.
It was definitely the longest day!
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