A Warmer Night, but Still Comfortable

After another night in the tent, we woke up to slightly warmer temperatures than the night before — but overall, the Sahara continues to surprise us with moderate weather. Many say this might be one of the coolest rally editions in years. Daytime temperatures around 25–30°C are far easier to handle than the expected 40°C, and we’re very grateful for that.

We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast with the other teams, exchanged stories from the previous day, and slowly packed up camp. By now, everyone has developed their own routine: sweeping sand out of the tent, re-folding gear, reorganizing the car, and preparing mentally for another long day in the dunes.

The Daily Pattern: Drive, Rescue, Repeat

As expected, the first sand embedding of the day didn’t take long. Just like yesterday, the rhythm quickly became:
Drive a few hundred meters → stop → help someone out → continue.

The sand today was soft in many places, and what looks like solid ground can suddenly swallow a car’s wheels. It’s simply the nature of desert driving.

At times, we had long continuous sections of narrow sand tracks — almost like small desert corridors — where vehicles spread out more and drove individually. Those who got stuck were collected later by the convoy, which inevitably caused longer waiting times.

Another Radiator Failure

Midday brought yet another radiator damage in one of the rally vehicles. This meant a long repair stop, during which the service team once again showed their incredible skills.
The car was half dismantled in the sand, covered in tools and spare parts — a fascinating mix of creativity, improvisation, and deep technical knowledge.

This repair led to a long lunch break, giving us time to play a round of Backgammon, chat, relax, and enjoy a simple meal under the Saharan sky.

Unfortunately, the patch didn’t last. The radiator failed again later in the afternoon, and the vehicle had to be towed out of the stage, to be dealt with separately.

A Beautiful Dune Camp for the Night

Despite the setbacks, we eventually continued toward our planned camp location. Near a set of beautiful rolling dunes, we found a perfect open area to set up the tents. By now, we all know the routine:

• Form a circle with the vehicles
• Create some wind protection
• Pitch the tents
• Set up chairs
• Start cooking

Tonight was special: we were invited to dinner by rally team “Aachener Wüstenfüchse“. The atmosphere was warm and cheerful — a large group gathered together, sharing food and stories from the day. A Swiss team even brought homemade cake, turning the evening into an unexpectedly cozy highlight.

Ending the Day Under the Desert Sky

As darkness fell, the stars appeared once again, bright and countless. Despite the constant sand and the challenges of desert driving, moments like this make everything worthwhile.

We crawled into our tent, still getting used to falling asleep on the desert floor — but it’s becoming easier.

Looking Ahead

Tomorrow, we are expected to reach Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania.
Two more days of desert lie behind us, and only one remains before we transition back into more populated areas.

We’re excited to see what the next stage brings.