10th March
It's been a very windy night and the sand is thick in the air as we face our first full day in the Sahara. The three other campers leave us to ourselves, taking flight from the wind. It is demanding but we have a mission on to make the most of what we find, so we set off into the wind to find Merzouga. It's a town about 2 miles away, so we are told and we head off in the general direction following what we think is the edge of the dunes. It's a challenging stroll over dunes and hamada, passing camel herds and disappearing palm trees. The dunes are on the move and they don't stop for anything it appears. As we don't actually know the way to town, our journey is longer than anticipated. Hot and windswept we arrive to find a gathering of locals, many of them women, all dressed up, blocking the only tarmac road into town. Police and army are present but the 'manifestation' as it is called here is peaceful and typical of the Moroccan version of the troubles in Arabia of late. They just want reform not a war! More jobs and better pay, sounds familiar? Nobody pays any attention to us and we carry on past them into the main street of the this very frontier feeling town.
We eat a cracking brochette at a very local cafe and head back towards our campsite the 'direct' way. Through the town! The architecture reflects the environment here, low level mud dwellings which endure temperatures into the 50's (Deg C) during summer months. It was into the 40's last week but fortunately for us, its only in the mid 20's now!
Crossing the flat black hamada to reach our van, our minds boggle at what it must be like when it really gets hot. I don't think we want to find out! The wind has dropped and its quite warm enough for us.
It so beautiful at the campsite, in the grounds of a large auberge, the only campers on the edge of the dunes. £2.50 per night including electric! What could be finer?
Thinking of you all, believe it or not
Ted and Krysia
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