All tummy problems are well enough for us to take on a landrover trek into the desert. We've left it until this morning before deciding to go and go we do. Hassan is the campsite owner and driver today and he's a rather grumpy fellow, all his tents blew down yesterday and no doubt he's got other problems but we don't let it spoil our day which is fantastic from the start!
As soon as you leave Mhamid its rough piste straight away, we are immediately amazed by the speed and intensity of our journey. This is off roading for real, how any vehicle stands this treatment is beyond us. A ride at Alton Towers comes to mind, all the thrills of the fair and more. Across stony hamada and rutted piste into sandy dunes and Tamariste groves, we speed on relentlessly until the dunes of Erg Chigaga appear,
we're about 20 miles into the Sahara from Mhamid and the environment is as harsh as one could imagine. Mirages, dust devils, endless flatlands and rising sand dunes, blue skies and heat, It is even more awesome than Erg Chebbi because we are almost the only ones out here. We did pass a single female with camel driver and camel! as you do, a back packer who seemed to be walking off into no-mans land, otherwise no motor bikes or trinket peddlars, just us and Hassans encampment, his 5 workers and a donkey, which was as grumpy as the boss! 
We wandered off into the dunes and loose ourselves in this natural environment, it's hot and windy and we are well prepared with our water and dress sense. It seems we wander too far because Hassan comes looking for us thinking we might be lost, which we're not but he's in a state and has too many things on his mind so we smile and return for tea and lunch which is prepared by Mbarek, who's in a lovely mood and smiles at his bosses fluster. The food is lovely and we eat in a tent which is only half erected as all the others are blown flat by yesterdays gales! A trip to the nearest well is next and thankfully its with Mbarek,
who's much more in tune with the needs of us tourists! He's a happy chap from Berber origins and after showing us the well, tells us to wander off towards some camels and enjoy, which we do. He wanders off onto the hamada and finds us some fossils and we chat happily about anything we can. We're in the middle of nowhere and 4 local chaps appear, smiling and joking making the whole scenario even more surreal. 
They are on a camel trek with a tourist and find the whole thing delightful.
who's much more in tune with the needs of us tourists! He's a happy chap from Berber origins and after showing us the well, tells us to wander off towards some camels and enjoy, which we do. He wanders off onto the hamada and finds us some fossils and we chat happily about anything we can. We're in the middle of nowhere and 4 local chaps appear, smiling and joking making the whole scenario even more surreal. 
They are on a camel trek with a tourist and find the whole thing delightful. Back to the tent and a nap before setting off on the rollercoaster ride back to Mhamid. Hassan drives even more wildly this time, how these vehicles are hammered is beyond belief and Mbarek can't quite work out why we have to travel at such a speed with things falling off the roof and the rear door opening, bang, crash weeeee bump. Slow down Hassan! 
We find it unreal yet amazing if not rather uncomfortable and we arrive home zooming across the dry Draa river into our campsite to shower and de-sand ourselves, before settling in for the night.
We find it unreal yet amazing if not rather uncomfortable and we arrive home zooming across the dry Draa river into our campsite to shower and de-sand ourselves, before settling in for the night.What a day. Quite extraordinary!
Such are the contrasts we find in Morocco
All our love
Ted, Krysia and Adam
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