The Final Day

It's 6 am. The first rays of sun penetrate through the small window of my room along with the melody of the drops of the downpour that

The Blue Stop

The gentle patter of rain echoes in the narrow alley outside my room. Little by little, it wakes me up from a slumber that has stretched for over 14 uninterrupted hours. Snug under my

MoroccoNicolás Marino6 June 2016africa, chefchaouen, bicycle touring, north africa, adventure, blue

The rain, the wind and the flowers

After several days living within the bubble of Fes' medina, it's time to carry on. At this point, as I draw closer to

MoroccoNicolás Marino2 June 2016marruecos, rif, fes, chefchaouen, africa, flowers, adventure, mountains, hills, bicycle, bicycle trail, bicycle touring

The maze

In strict terms, I could state that I'm spending my days in Fes. However, it's more honest to say that

MoroccoNicolás Marino30 May 2016Fes, medina, touring, africa, morocco, fes, adventure, bicycle touring, cycling, north africa

Beyond the Peaks of the Atlas

I could have easily stayed in that charming little town at the foot of the Todra Gorge indefinitely. Sipping mint tea, savouring tagine, and

MoroccoNicolás Marino25 May 2016ifran, azrou, todra, khenfira, africa, magreb, morocco, bicycle touring, bicycle, adventure, high atlas, middle atlas

In-Between Gorges

When I take my days off in Ouarzazate, it feels like I've stepped into a story straight out of an Arabian tale. This city, situated on a plain at

The Last Country

A few hours after leaving Tan Tan, an immense force seizes control of the bicycle. It's an utterly unexpected moment, leaving me

MoroccoNicolás Marino16 May 2016guelmin, africa, adventure, bicycle, touring, tafraoute, atlas, anti-atlas

Hell ends in Tan Tan

It is 6 am; the sun rises on the Saharan horizon. I'm curled like a slug, buried deep down in my sleeping bag. A trickle of air seeping up to

Reduced to Insignificance

The psychological effort I need to leave this service station is immeasurable. There is nothing around it in about 200 km in every direction,

Western SaharaNicolás Marino10 May 2016africa, sahara, saharauis, Dakhla, Western Sahara, adventure, desert, sand, wind, bicycle touring

Chronicles of a Lost Battle

I pedal with my head wrapped in my turban and my eyes sheltered behind my sunglasses. The glow of the incandescent sand in the midday sun blinds me. In this Saharan

Western SaharaNicolás Marino8 May 2016sahara, mauritania, africa, western sahara, adventure, bicycle, cycling, travel, desert, ordeal

The Iron Serpent

Pasaron 10 años desde que comencé a viajar en bicicleta por el mundo y no tengo planes de cambiar de medio de transporte, pero si tuviera que elegir un medio motorizado en el que yo no

MauritaniaNicolás Marino4 May 2016africa, mauritania, sahara, choum, nouadhibou, Zouerat, train, adventure, cargo, iron train, west africa, desert, iron ore

The Road of the Ghost Towns

My original desire to leave Atar early so that I could cover as much distance as possible is frustrated, as is often the case, by my predilection for

MauritaniaNicolás Marino30 April 2016africa, mauritania, touring, sahara, adrar, atar, choum, adventure, bicycle touring, west africa

The Heart of the Adrar

Most travelers who cross this region of Africa do so by following the most direct route, which is the one that follows the coast of the continent. However, my intention is not

MauritaniaNicolás Marino25 April 2016mauritania, adrar, sahara, africa, touareg, jaimas, bicycle touring, adventure, desert, headwind, tents, adversity, west africa, dunes, cobras, snkes, snakes

Teamwork

As soon as I get off the taxi, the stench assaults my nostrils penetrating deep into my lungs. For a few seconds I hold my breath to digest the impact. I exhale, and try to

The Return to the Sahara

Rosso, the main border crossing between Senegal and Mauritania, has one of the worst reputations in all of Africa. Among travelers, stories abound of

MauritaniaNicolás Marino16 April 2016africa, mauritania, sahara, keur macene, daraa, diama, border, adventure, headwind, desert, dunes, dawn, west africa

Toubab, Toubab, Toubab!!!

I leave Dakar full of energy. I feel like new. I shaved after 5 months, I cut my hair, I got deodorant and everything smells of soap because I washed the few clothes I have. It is not just any

SenegalNicolás Marino14 April 2016senegal, africa, lac rose, adventure, St Louis, toubab, sahara, bicycle touring, wind, desert

Reuiniting with the Ocean

Two months have passed since I left the Atlantic Ocean at Grand-Bassam. I have since left Sub-Saharan Africa, this time permanently after so long. I returned to the Sahel, advancing through the

SenegalNicolás Marino12 April 2016dakar, senegal, africa, ventura, african capitals, cities, adventure, bicycle touring

The Story of Papís

I am back in Senegal on another radiant day. I pedal along the streets of the border town of Keur Ayip zigzagging through a traffic jam of taxis, horse-drawn carts and

SenegalNicolás Marino10 April 2016senegal, africa, west africa, adventure, bicycle, traveling, bicycle touring

Where Cicadas Lurk

Following my favorite tradition of crossing from one country to another along the most remote and least-traveled borders, I approach The Gambia from its southeastern corner. I move forward

The GambiaNicolás Marino5 April 2016gambia, africa, fulani, malinke, The gambia, bicycle, bicycle touring, adventure, west africa

The Return of Electricity

I cannot determine exactly when I officially enter Senegal, because, in the middle of absolute nowhere, it is difficult to distinguish when one crosses the imaginary line that divides the countries. Everything around

SenegalNicolás Marino1 April 2016africa, senegal, kedougou, migrants, adventure, bicycle touring, bycicle, west africa