Sunday, May 10, 2009

My Mercedes is Not For Sale

I just finished reading My Mercedes is Not for Sale: : From Amsterdam to Ouagadougou...an Auto-Misadventure Across the Sahara by Jeroen van Bergeijk, a personal narrative about a Dutch man who travels from Amsterdam through West Africa to sell his Mercedes. The book offers a great insight into the economy of those countries as well as the reality of traveling through the Sahara. While I was reading the book in the sauna at my gym, a young Moroccan noticed me looking at the map on the inside cover. He pointed to a small town on the coast and said, “I’m from there.” What a small world. Although I have visited Tangier, I have yet to make my way into West Africa and look forward to doing so someday soon. Unfortunately, no overland tours run during our summer, which is their rainy season. A preview of the book is available on barnesandnoble.com.