Thursday 2nd - Friday 3rd November

So today we are heading off from Dakar to a place to stay called La Posta in Azul, about 320kms south of BA. Just after 9.00am after sorting out our luggage, thanking our hosts and doing a round of photos outside, we were off!

At about 11.30am, we'd come back to the same junction in Florida we left 2 1/2 hours previously after getting lost on the ring road. Using the GPS, I finally managed to route to a road just on the edge of BA and eventually we were on the right road to Azul, Routa 3.

Once out of the city which took quite a bit of time, the industrial areas eventually fell away and we started seeing more greenery. Once out on the open road, we settled into a relaxed pace and believe it or not, we were cruising at a fairly ferocious 50mph all the way. It was pretty much all farm land around with school kids in a sort of white outfit were dotted about at the end of farm tracks, presumably waiting for the school bus. Truck drivers were honking their horns at us and unlike the truckers at home, were generaly giving us the thumbs up.

We stopped for lunch at a filling station which was quite frankly in need of a clean but it was cheap enough. We arrived in Azul about 4.30pm and again using the GPS and a system of ever decreasing circles in the towns grid system, we arived at La Posta.

La Posta is an unusual place owned by Jorje (nicknamed Pollo or chicken due to the number of them in the back yard) and is run on a voluntary contribution basis. Jorje is really friendly guy who just likes to help bikers out and the place consists of a grassed area where travellers can camp and a kitchen/dormitary area next to his workshop with 3 beds. Once we'd set up our tents, who should come back from the shops but our mate Mike Anderson- it really is a small world. The shower, as usual, turned out to be quite interesting- you need to light a wood fire in the boiler to get hot water, so think of that next time you turn on your instant shower with your fancy hot water!

We stayed here a couple of nights and spent Friday wandering about the town which has a nice relaxed feel about the place. There were some other interesting characters staying in La Posta- a german guy who has been cycling around the world for the last few years and another german chap called Michelle who was also motorcycling around South America.

In town, we kept hearing the frightening sound of Phill Collins on the radio and when we got back to La Posta, the radio was also playing the mighty Collins so naturally we just assumed he'd died or been assassinated but alas, it just turned out to be the slightly dodgy 80's local radio station here. On Friday night, we were invited to an Asada (barbeque) to celebrate Monika, Jorje's wifes birthday. A whole lamb was delivered and Jorje set about getting the asada ready and soon the subject of our evening meal was grilling away nicely in the workshop. About 20 people, mostly Jorje and Monika's friends and relatives showed up and about 10pm, we sat down at a couple of long tables with all the rest and were treated to a huge meal. Jorje, ever the host fed us till we literally couldn't eat any more.