Riding the longest train in the world…illegally | Mauritania’s iron ore train
Not much to my surprise, after I returned to the UK for a couple weeks in April, people were incredibly curious to hear about the train I’d ridden in Africa – twice. It was a thrilling experience, made all the more nerve-wracking by the fact it had been made illegal for tourists to ride the train 4 months earlier due to extreme safety hazards and harsh conditions. I hope you enjoy reading my ramble about our heist and tips for anyone who’s keen to also ride the train. It began with 4 of us – myself, Lucas, Jaidyn and Luca. Thrill-seekers, we’d heard about riding the iron ore train and this was a mission we were prepared to accept. The train is used to transport iron ore across the country from the mines at Zouerat to Nouadibhou. Locals also hop onto the train as the most efficient way to get across the country. Getting down to the train was a whole ordeal in itself. We applied for our visas back in mid-February in Mirleft, Morocco. From there we began our journey down through Western...