Off to the Desert…. caught in a rainstorm

Merzouga is our next stop – actually it is really the Sahara Desert, but there is no town there, so Merzouga is the best place to identify on a map. We are definitely out of the cities, it is dusty, hot, and the scenery is of two kinds – stony desert or date palm oasis.

Mostly the habitation is around the date palms, but a surprising number of people are living, or walking in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. We stop at a viewpoint to look at a beautiful lush valley of palms and instantly three children appear with camels woven out of date palm leaves – someone in the group usually buys something, this is how some local people survive. And the camels are cute (yes I do buy one!). I think I will hang them on the Christmas Tree if they survive the trip home.

Our destination is Les Hommes Bleu on the edge of the Sahara Desert. A storm hits on the way and we pass several places where the stony desert has become a river – in one case full of huge hailstones. It is dark by the time we approach Les Hommes Bleu.

Adil has made contact with the hotel and an old beat up Landrover meets us to help Adil navigate the waters. He has been driving all day, the road is barely visible as we turn off the seal to follow muddy tyre tracks.

Eventually we are defeated, we are stuck fast – the Landrover tries to pull us out, but the rope breaks. We have every confidence in Adil, the desert is his country, but we start to get worried. We start to discuss whether we believe in God or not (common discussion on the verge of disaster and panic), we wonder if there is time to convert to Islam and whether that will help. We are going nowhere and surrounded by water, some of it running fast.

Headlights appear out of nowhere, the desert telegraph has been at work- Mohommed the owner of the hotel, fondly referred to as Basil Faulty by Camp Leader Julie has arrived to the rescue. We all pile, luggage and all into the two cars, and leave the car there, the boys will recover it later.

The Hotel at last – nothing faulty towers about it – beautiful huge rooms with ensuites on the very edge of the Sahara Desert. Modern, mudbrick, colourful, funky, Les Hommes Bleus is fabulous. Next morning at breakfast on the back patio we gaze out onto the unbelievably golden sands of the desert, camels resting in the foreground.

We will climb aboard the camels later in the day – first there is a trip to an african village to hear Pigeons Du Sable - mint tea, dancing, singing, drumming and in the end we are all up joining in a simple dance. It was world class entertainment – they are starting to travel a bit, but at present this is their base, a simple earth hut on the edge of the desert.

Next stop Maison Tuareg to learn about carpets and Tuareg culture and to get turbans for our night in th desert. Our guides Julie and Adil are greeted as long lost friends, lunch is served and then the bargaining begins. I did not even try and resist – I need a carpet, and had decided that a carpet from Morocco was the way to go. The only question was how to get it home – Sarah was heading directly back to Auckland and offered to take it for me.

I bargained and flirted hard and felt OK about the price, but I think he felt better! Most of us bought something, so they were very happy and before we left a Venus Adventures photo was taken of us all dressed up in turbans and desert gear and draped around our salesmen all lying on plush red carpets. Something out of Arabian nights...

We reluctantly left, we had camels to ride.

PHOTOS