Morocco Tour Day 5: Deeper into the desert

Overnight the wind picked up in the desert enough to have the sand blowing into every nook and cranny when venturing out. We were very pleased we decided yesterday not to ride the camels out of the desert in the morning. Two hours on the back of a camel with sand stinging the face is no ones idea of fun. So after a bumpy and hazy 4WD back to town we spent much of the morning and early afternoon at an old house/riad in Mhamid. While relaxing we got the chance to play dress ups.

By mid afternoon the wind had dropped and it was time to head deeper into the desert. We quickly left civilisation behind as Hassan expertly found our way through the flat stony desert along a myriad of tiny four wheel drive tracks that appeared and disappeared. It was clear he knew the desert like the back of his hand having started as a camel herder and guide before moving to 4WDs.

After about one and a half hours we stopped at a Berber well. Ismail and Hassan drew water to wash. Given they were in the middle of their fast they couldn't drink, but a wash was a great refresher for them as well as being of cultural significance. Another group stopped while we were at the well for their guide to take a similar refresher break. The well also amazingly hosted a Berber woman sitting in the shade of the well selling souvenirs to the occasional tourist who dropped by!

Note the Berber entrepreneur behind Ismail - she had a rug full of trinkets and toy camels!

Shortly after passing the biggest herd of camels we had ever seen (there were hundreds), we finally arrived at camp after a 2 and a half hour drive. For the second night in a row we were the only guests in a camp that could probably host 60. The camp wasn't as luxurious as our previous ones however given how far into the desert we were, this was no surprise.

Camp was located in a transitional zone where flat rocky desert gave way to higher, arid dunes. By now the wind had completely died so after settling in, Eric went for a short run to the top of the highest dune while Ismail and Samuel (under Elise's watchful eye) tried sand boarding.

After watching the sun go down we cleaned up and had another memorable dinner outside under the stars. It was strange that Elise was able to have a online chat with a few friends while we dined - there is very few places in the world where you are truly, completely alone these days!

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