Sahara Sunset

Tuesday, we got off to a very early start because we had five hours to drive in the hot, hot sun.  I was so not looking forward to the drive, but I was excited about our agenda for the day.  After 8 hours, we arrived in Merzouga, located in Southeastern Morocco near the Algerian border. Although it used to be more lush and green thousands of years ago, desertification is causing the Sahara desert to overtake Eastern Morocco. 

Here’s an interesting tidbit… Millions of years ago, Morocco used to be covered in water.  The country was covered entirely by the body of water we now know as the Mediterranean Sea.  So, driving through the desert, you see people who have set up little stands selling fossils, shark teeth and other ancient ocean fossils that are scattered all through the desert.  It’s strange to think about when you’re driving through hot, dry, arid mountains and deserts that vast oceans once covered them.

Ok, so back to the adventure.  We arrived at a small commune about 10 kilometers off the road.  When we walked in, a group of African folk musicians played some awesome music for us while we all drank tea.  They took us out to our “rooms” which were wool nomad tents that were surrounded by sand and had a wool blanket hanging in front as the “door.”  It was awesome.   

The man told us to hurry and put our bags away because they were preparing our camels.  I did a total double take… What?  We walked out to the front of the campsite and there were fifteen camels ready and rearing to go, but I had no idea where and for how long.  We ended up taking a two-hour camel ride up to the top of the sand dunes to watch the sunset.  It was amazing.  Camels aren’t the smoothest way to travel, but it was a great experience nonetheless.  My camel was sweet and kept nuzzling me when we stopped because I was scratching her behind her ears and she loved it. 

By the time we got back to the compound it was dark.  The music started again and we got ready for dinner.

We ate dinner in a huge tent, and then went outside for a bonfire with music and dancing. We had to shower in outdoor showers with little baby froggies cruising around which required so much constraint on my part because I hate anything that jumps.  When we got back to our tent at one in the morning it was so hot that we ended up swinging open the whole front of our tent and sleeping with it wide open.  It was a full moon over the desert and it was unbelievable.  Surprisingly, I slept like an absolute baby until we had to leave in the morning, when I woke up sandy. It was a great experience and one that I wouldn’t have traded for anything.  By far my most memorable experience yet.