Tuesday, 14 January 2014

The Sahara Desert - Beyond Camels and Sand Dunes

I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream - Vincent van Gogh

I travel to experience and enjoy the unfamiliar, but I have never for a moment in my life thought of going to a desert.  Well, what do you see in a desert?  In November I went to Morocco and two days in the itinerary were spent at the western Sahara desert. While the landscape, many of the old cities and medina were fascinating in its history and construction, somehow the Sahara desert left me with such unforgettable memory that I now long to return . . .  

We were already on the road for a week when we finally arrived in M'hamid, the last village before the Algerian border and the beginning of the Western Sahara.  It was now sometime in early November.  The air was dry and still hot in these early days of winter. We checked-in at the beautiful Le Drom' Blanc (www.ledromblanc.com) for a night to prepare ourselves for the following day journey into the desert.  Le Drom' Blanc is a quiet oasis that runs by Maguy, an amazing French woman with an inspirational character.  Next day after a morning visit to a Berber family and having witnessed the making of Moroccan flat breads, we returned to Maguy's for a wonderful lunch of salad and grilled chicken.  We then embarked on a two hour sand bashing 4WD from M'hamid that took us deep into the Western Sahara to Erg Chigaga and its 150m sand dunes. 

The heat, the vast desert landscape, and the very few trees that came to sight during the journey were not far from my childhood's imagination of a desert. For miles, it seemed that only heaven and earth existed. I couldn't help wondering how could our driver find the road to our destination, or any destinations?  What could he possibly use as landmarks when there was nothing obvious that stood out?  Maybe there is a compass in the 4WD. Ah, I'll let that stays a mystery.  He told us he had taken a different route on our return journey. Oh really, did you?  

We soon arrived at the camp site. Refreshment were served, by now I have learned to enjoy my mint tea with a pinch of sugar.  Pleasure has to be taken seriously they say!  It was already late afternoon, the light was glorious and brought with it a generous warmth in the atmosphere.  The heat was kinder.  We wondered round the camp site a little. We saw in the distant, the gentle contours of the sand dunes in the fading light. Then it was time for our camel ride into the sunset.  Although the camels were no trouble, there were scream of panic among the girls, giggles and laughters all round as we were allocated our own camel.  Yes, the thought of riding on a camel could be a little daunting, but the one and a half hour ride was thoroughly enjoyable and fun.  No, no one fell off the camel back.

Dinner in the camp was surprisingly good (and so was breakfast the next day). No excuse was made to compromise on the quality of food although we were eating in the desert.  Music and songs ensued outside around the fire.  By this time the temperature had dropped dramatically and it was pleasant to be outside the camp enjoying the cool evening air.  Many in the group wondered off to catch the shooting stars.  The night sky was magnificent and breath taking. I gazed in awe at nature's most spectacular display, completely lost in amazement as I laid on the rug, marveling  at the wonder of creation. The myriad of glittering stars scattered as far as the eyes could see.  The moon was low and large. Occasionally there were shooting stars and a few satellites appeared as the night grew deeper.  For a brief moment, time stood still.  I felt elated by a sense of peace within me that I had never known, and the joy of being embraced in a magical eternity so beautiful. 

As the hours passed, the moon set and  too soon came daybreak.  Long gone the glory and splendour of last night.  There was a little sense of loss as I breathed in the morning air and looked to the clear sky with a few splashes of pink in the distant.  

The most beautiful memory in travelling comes from what a landscape evokes deep within us - the gift of life and its oneness with the universe. It goes beyond the many images we collected for our photo albums. The Sahara desert is an extraordinary experience like no other.  Its magic can only be discovered by one finally making that journey. I left remembering that vast and endless darkness of the night, the moon and the countless stars, and how insignificant I became in that entirety.   It awakened in me the most primitive experience of our existence, that deep sense of awe and wonder in our being, beautiful, but lost so long ago in the chaos of our distorted life. 

Travel info.  
Check out www.yongo.biz if you are interested in doing a 17 days full circle tour of Morocco.
For independent traveller, Zbartravel is an experienced travel agent in Morocco that has made our travel arrangement into the Sahara desert, http://www.zbartravel.com/. There are several trips of different length that start from Marrakech and takes you into the Sahara desert. 
Emmirates, Qatar and Ethihad fly KL - Casablanca, another 45 minutes domestic flight takes you into Marrakech.

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