|
|
The Sahara sounds mythical and mysterious, unreachable, and to most travelers just a dream, but as my story unfolds, you'll discover that dreams can become a reality.
And all because tour organizers Ted and Luiza Reinhard of Saraha Trek want visitors to experience the 'real' Morocco, traveling with local guides on a Nomadic Adventure. In Ted's words, "We're one-stop Morocco." And if your interest extends beyond the Sahara, the Reinhards are open to providing an additional itinerary to facilitate further exploration of the country.
I'm en route to Morocco via New York and Casablanca aboard Royal Air Maroc, then to Ouarzazate, where Lawrence of Arabia, The Sheltering Sky and The Mummy were shot on location.
My temperature rises and the adrenaline flows with each kilometer our Land Rover driver negotiates along the Tizi-n-Tinifft Pass. There's little time to contemplate the intricacies of roads that bring the Indy 500 to mind, you either succumb to jet lag or you enjoy the ride down the Draa Valley.
Four hours later we arrive at hotel Sahara in M'Hamid, a family establishment that oozes genuine Moroccan hospitality a la Naamani brothers, Habib and Hassan.
Refreshed and re-packed, the trek begins with a Land Rover ride to a Nomad camp, but our tour deviates slightly and we spend the night in M'Hamid.
The Nomadic Blue Men (turbans, robes and flowing pants are all blue) are our guides. Our multi-lingual head guide, Moukhtare, speaks English, Spanish, Japanese, French, Italian, Arabic and Berber) and is literally a walking encyclopaedia on Nomads (the guides do not ride camels, they walk beside them).
I confess to having reservations about Habib wrapping a turban around my head despite his dexterity and finesse, but the result is pleasantly appealing. This is no costume parade, it's necessary protection against the sand and wind, especially those "dust devils" (blowing dust.) The multi-purpose turban comes in handy as a pillow, rope, towel, sack, sling or sieve.
Mounting a camel requires planning ahead and speed - while it's kneeling, leap onto the saddle and grab the reins and hang tight and prepare to lurch backward and forward as the camel stands up. Exercise caution when dismounting, as the camel will sink to its knees with a swift jerk. Upon survival (and you will) everyone receives a camel driver's license.
Our caravan stops at the first base camp where we enjoy a dinner of harira soup, bread, lamb and couscous in a tent. The tents are fashioned from woven woolen blanket materials that offer protection from the elements and privacy for travelers.
It's an overwhelming feeling of sheer euphoria to gaze upwards at a sea of stars outshining the brilliant desert sky. How can I resist the temptation to spend my first night sleeping out on the sand dunes in my flannel pajamas, socks and turban on mats covered with sheets and blankets? (You'll need a jacket too, as the temperature drops during the night.)
At five the next morning, I awaken to the compelling shreds of light seeping through the cracks of my vision as I inhale the crisp fresh air. I am ready to chase the elusive sunrise, camera in hand. It's just me and the Sahara, the world's largest desert, a riveting and spellbinding sight. Most of the Sahara is covered in gravel and rock, and less than one-quarter of the landscape is sand.
But this is the real thing. I race from one dune to the next, so excited and exhilarated I almost forget I'm still in my sleeping outfit. Fortunately, not a creature is stirring. I slip into the tent, perform a Houdini quick change, and I'm set for the day.
Breakfast is a heartening array of fresh mint tea, bread with honey, fruit spreads and cheese, and orange slices topped with cinnamon - set out on little tables surrounded by stools - a cafe on the desert fringes!
We set out for the Big Sahara (Zhigaga) still camel bound, then we switch to Land Rovers and head to camp for another night amidst mountainous sand dunes (over 300 feet.)
When was the last time you enjoyed dinner - harira (soup), tangine (vegetable stew) and rice with bread -served around a roaring fire, sitting under star-studded skies and serenaded by musicians who happily sing and dance until the last embers flicker and fade away? Or watched bread baked in the sand, fired by burning tree branches for next morning's breakfast?
After breakfast we climb the circuitous dunes eager to sit "on top of the world" and enjoy one last look at this rare phenomenon….This is our last day on the camels before we return to M'Hamid.
Life remains very simple in these parts. The women and children fetch water from open streams to do the laundry. They scrub and wash their clothes and hang them on the palm trees to dry.
After lunch at Hotel Sahara, an inhabited Kasbah walkabout offers a rare glimpse at a traditional lifestyle, centuries old, but now gradually fading away. The people are friendly, especially the children, but it's best to observe and retain your memories without cameras.
The fascinating countryside is dotted with Berber villages and verdantly green stepped terraces, the way it's been for ages. Soon the lm trees and lush vegetation hugging the highway, the roadside vendors offering fresh baskets of dates and quaint modes of transportation present a fascinating picture.
And so ends my sojourn in the Sahara, one of the most treasured memories of a lifetime.
SAHARA TREK
PamelaAnn Campbell,
Return to World | Return to Home Page |
