LA VIE C'EST COMME ÇA

///The iron ore train of Mauritania rushes back and forth, 437 miles through the Sahara Desert from Nouadhibou to Zouerat. At one point the longest train in the world, its endless cars bring iron ore from deep in the desert and deposit it in the waiting hulls of ships bound for industry.

Two worn cars are reserved for passenger travel, though most can't afford the 12 dollar ticket. Instead they stowaway, eastbound tucked deep in the metal pits of empty freight cars. Headed west they perch atop loose piles of iron ore, riding with the future steel towards the coast and the world. Trade winds kick-up a constant layer of dust making it difficult to breathe or see. Exposed to the elements, the trip is perilous, taking 24 hours on a good day with temperatures often over 110 degrees. The passengers riding the train are gambling on a smooth journey, they pack little food or water, ill-prepared if the train should break down, as it does from time to time, in the expansive desert.///