Have any of you watched "The Dakar" on TV and wondered what is would be like to spectate on that event?

As always, The Dakar is the first international motorsport event of the year. For 2007 the starting venue is from Lisbon, on January 6th, and finishes in Dakar 14 days later after its usual mammoth route through the Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert and much of Western Africa. "The Dakar" is an awesome event whichever way you slice it, but its route is easier to reach than you might think. I will suggest three different agendas for you to attend this event in the New Year.

Lisbon may be the capital city of Portugal but it is also the centre of Portuguese heritage. It is one of the smallest cities in Europe, and very compact. Lisbon is also very easy to reach, with scheduled flights by Monarch Airlines and TAP Air Portugal (from Gatwick), or by British Airways/TAP from Heathrow. Lisbon airport is a very short taxi-ride to the city centre where a wide range of low-budget hotels can be found. The "Ibis" group have a number of comfortable locations in town.

Scrutineering/Documentation for The Dakar is held over three days (Jan 3-5) at The Cultural Centre in the Belem district of Lisbon Belem is situated on the western fringe of the city just a few kilometres from the city centre on the northern bank of the River Tagus and is easily reached by taxi or local train.

The ceremonial start (6th Jan) is also from the same area, adjacent to the Jeronimo Monastery, although that might change to the nearby Estoril race-circuit which is about 10 miles further down the coast towards the quaint fishing village of Cascais (pronounced Cash-caysh). Just above Cascais is a large Sintra forest, famed for its classic WRC stages.

From the start, the 370km-route heads over the river towards Setubal and wends its way through Beja, Aljustrel, Castro Verde, and Almodovar, finishing the first day in the small town of Portimao on the Algarve coast. Seafood restaurants here are some of the finest you'll ever get - even a simple Tuna salad from a harbour-front cafe is wicked and plentiful experience. Day-2 (567km) takes competitors inland to Silves (pr. Shil-vesh), then Almodovar, and Alcoutim before crossing the Spanish border, and on to the port of Malaga ....and the African continent beyond. It should be easy to make a return flight back to the UK from FARO airport, a short distance along the Algarve coast. Again, British Airways and EasyJet both fly into Gatwick from this, the largest city in the Algarve but before you leave Lisbon, it would be a crime not to enjoy some of the cultural delights which the city has to offer. The city is built on many steep hills, many of which are laid to cobblestones. Stout walking shoes are highly recommended. Trams still ply the streets effectively and the No10 will take you up to the Castle Socorro, which offers a magnificent panoramic view of the city. On the opposite hillside, in the old Souramento district, some excellent restaurants/bars will be found. I have endured many 5* hangovers drinking Tequilas in the Cuban bars up there! If you see signs for "Fado" (live music and singing), give it a very wide berth unless you're really into Portuguese folk singing!

Tastefully sculptured monuments reflecting the travels of Vasco DeGama, Cabral, Magellan and Henry the Navigator line the riverbank at Belem. Indeed, the fortified Belem Tower on the riverbank is a good landmark to prove that you are in the right area for the podium start, but somehow I think it could be difficult to miss. On the eastern side of the city, the old Expo-site (from 1998?) is also worth a relaxing visit with its waterfront aerial cable cars stretching between the Aquarium and Atlantic Pavilion. It's amazing to think that all the land there was reclaimed from a dirty old Oil-refinery and steel works in the space of a few years. But the architecture at the Expo-railway station is something else, as is the 12-km long Ponte Vasco deGama Bridge which spans the river at this point. They're even more spectacular when illuminated at night. As previously mentioned, the seaside resort of Estoril to the west offers an international race-circuit and a large casino, but the small town of Sintra and the adjacent forest, is the one you really should not miss. Apart from driving the actual roads used on many previous WRC events, the old ruins of the heavily fortified Moorish castle atop of sheer rock-faces (and its panoramic views again) should not be passed over.

If the Dakar bug has really bitten…er, maybe I should re-phrase that bit…if you are still keen to spectate, another option open to spectators is to fly deep into Africa...Mali, to be precise! From London Gatwick, the Libyan-based Afriqiyah Airlines fly six-times weekly to the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Don't worry about visas for Libya, as you can interline yourself and your baggage straight through to Bamako (the capital city of Mali) via Tripoli. Trust me, Afriqiyah have some very affordable fares at the moment. Your passport will require a visa from the Mali High Commission. You will also need to be immunised against Yellow Fever so keep the vaccination certificate with your passport. Immunisation against Diphtheria is also recommended, along with Hepatitis-A, Hepatitis-B, Malaria, Meningitis, Polio, Tetanus and Typhoid, but I reckon a few good snorts of Tequila (or dark rum) will keep that lot at bay. Oh yes, Rabies is also another risk factor so I would highly recommend an extensive travel insurance package to cover all medical eventualities plus loss of personal baggage/belongings! Unfortunately, I am NOT joking. You're STILL reading? Bl—dy hell......you're keen!

OK ... Bamako is a thriving city like most others and it's got a lot going for it(like half the diseases known to mankind). Reasonable hotel accommodation/car rental is easily found. For the price of a Mars Bar, it would probably be better to locate a local guide/driver as an alternative to renting a 4x4. They should know where the best spectator points are, and at the very worst you can all get lost in the sand dunes together. Talking of Mars Bars, if you really want to barter with the locals, try US dollars. Although I always hide a small wad of Uncle Sam’s bills behind my passports, you can also do some serious deals with your old unwanted mobile 'phones. Flash some of those about and the locals will bite your hand off! Little things, which we all take for granted, like a pens/pencils writing paper are also greatly received. Anyway, I digress - Bamako is always one of the staging posts for The Dakar. It is usually the southern-most point of the route and often uses the city for a 2 night stop or "day of rest". I do not know the precise date for 2007, but be sure that Bamako will be on the route as competitors drive southwards from Nouakchott and Kiffa (in Mauritania) before crossing into Mali (via Kayes), and into the city for a couple of nights.

The route usually turns westwards from Bamako, towards Labe and the Atlantic coast way beyond. In January, the temperatures usually average about 32ºC in Mali, and French is the spoken language. Acceptance of credit cards can be limited to the larger retailers or hoteliers. Like all other big-cities, an attitude of common sense will usually see you right. There are "no-go" areas and "safe" areas in all cities. Just be aware. If you really want to see a bad-ass district, take a drive through the Soweto suburb on the southwest tip of Johannesburg, but for Christ-sake don't stop anywhere!

And now for the icing on the cake...if Bamako didn't kill you...Dakar, the capital city of Senegal, is a pussy-cat by comparison. I would suggest a pre-booked return flight from Bamako to Dakar as a preference to driving the 660-miles across the border with your Avis-rented Toyota 4x4. I won't expand anymore - just don't even think about it. Direct flights to Dakar (don't get confused with Dhaka in Bangladesh!) take just under 2-hours. Just make sure that your baggage is tagged "DKR", or you'll never see it again. As there are no direct flights between London/Dakar, the other option is to fly directly to Senegal from elsewhere in Europe. Tap Air Portugal has a daily flight taking just under 4 hours from Lisbon, as do Air Brussels (formerly Sabena) from Brussels, but the cost may be prohibitive.

And so to Dakar for the finish of the toughest motor rally in the world. Competitors will roll into town on January 20th. The 640km route from Tambacounda is actually the final day of serious competition on the event. The final day of the rally (Jan 21st) is spent on the gorgeous beach at Rose Lake just to the north of the city. With the Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop, this is where all the favoured "publicity" photographs are shot. The last day is a mere 110km before competitors turn back to Dakar city for the ceremonial podium finish. As a part of the rally or as a tourist to Senegal, I can assure you of a very warm welcome - literally, even in January. Accommodation is bound to be at a premium at the finish of the event so it would be wise to arrange that well in advance of your arrival. The prize giving is held on the 22nd then everyone goes home - except everyone has been heading in a southerly sort of direction for the past 14 days and it's a long walk back to Dover! Visas are not required for Senegal, but those inoculations are again required. Like Mali, the average temperature in January will be about 32ºC and French is the local language.

If you flew from Bamako to Dakar, the return route should be just the same. Check yourself and your baggage to Bamako (BKO) only. Collect it in Mali, then check yourself (and your baggage) directly through to London Gatwick. Your Air Afriqiyh flight will take you via Tripoli, but again you will not actually leave the airport lounge in Libya. If you DO leave the airport in Tripoli, keep any camera equipment hidden from view and don't attempt to take photographs at any time. One last tip, you'll love this one, but don't ask questions. Take with you a small tub of Vick Vapour-rub, or any similar menthol gel, and dab a small amount below your nostrils before travelling. You'll thank me for that one day.

So in summary, 240 Bikes/Quads + 190 Cars + 80 Trucks - 9000km, across 8 countries, in 14 days. The rally is already oversubscribed and more information can be found on their web-site www.dakar.com. If that doesn't whet your appetite for the Sunseeker, nothing will.