Started day early from Marrakesh where we were picked up by our tour guy Kamal. All 6 of us got in the van and on we went. First day was quite a long drive. We crossed the Atlas mountains and reached the rocky part of desert where we slept in a guest house.
On the way we had several stops for coffee, pictures, food, coffee for Kamal and Mint tea for me. During our road trip we asked Kamal all sorts of questions about Morocco and he seemed to have an answer to all of them. He also told us he has a black belt in martial arts ( which is true) and also that when he was younger he used to be an DJ ( which was a lie ), but he had some good music downloaded in his phone that we listened on the way so we forgave him for fooling us. Radio was never even turned on.
At midday we reached our first major sightseeing place. An old town with small houses and Casbahs. A big old house with 4 towers made mostly from mud, that was a home for 4 wealthy families. And no they did not look shitty because they were made of mud. We are talking about houses that could reach the height of about 3 floors. And yeah, made of MUD. They looked like real life size sand castles. They were a house and a small fortified castle at the same time. So after visiting this ancient town we jumped back in the van and on we went.
At sunset we reached the first oasis where we visited the most famous Casbah and the whole buildings surrounding it. To get to it, we had to take a dirt road, cross an actual river and run fast up the narrow stairs to be right on time for the perfect sunset picture with a palm tree.
Here we also met the best Museum guide i had ever met. He was funny, informative, excited about his job ( or at least a good actor) and told us so much information that we still remember it like yesterday. We got out already when it was pitch black night, so we all sat back in the van to cross the river one more time and go deeper into the almost dissapearing desert road until we reached our guest house for the night.
Next morning as usualy got up early and went on with the trip. During midday some of my companions stomachs started to make a little protest against the local food, but it was fast suppressed by some pills and on we went.
At about 16:00 we reached IT. The Real Sahara desert like you see on National Geographic. Sand dunes and nothing else. Right before sunset we were loaded up on camels. Each received a camel proportional to his or her size. Arturs got the worst one of them all, but i suffered most from it. Even before Artūrs got up on it, it made suspicious noises that continued all the way. ( he also ate something bad the days before) so there we went in a column of camels and me right behind Artūrs and his camel Stinky Burkšķis.
It was only half way to desert camp that we realized these camels dont have any space for resting up your legs like you would have on a horse. So when we got down legs were a bit stiff.
Camp was made to look like a native Berber camp, but of course including all the tourist necessary things like toilet, running water and light. The locals offered us to run up some of the sand dunes before food is served and all of went to do so. And of course like the little happy tourists we were we chose the biggest of them all and started to climb it up, to realize after 10 min what a mistake we had made. First of all it was waaay higher than we expected, the sands were constantly falling down ( duuuh) and we choose the most steepest part of it. So only 3 of us reached the top. Well..... we didn't actually get till the Top Top, but we got high enough to see also the other side of sand dune and the view was great. After getting back our breath and promising to not to do it ever again, in complete darkness we went down back to camp. Before getting in for late night food we got out 1kg of sand from our shoes and felt ready to receive food that we had still to wait for some 30 min that felt like forever. Wasn't even mad that again it was Tagine, that by this time was already a bit fed up with.
After food, went outside in the middle of camp to lay down on one of the mattresses to observe the nighty sky. Actually expected more. The truth to be spoken- in Latvia on a clear winter night the view is quite better.
There were going on some rumors around the camp that a fire place is being made but none new exactly where so all went to sleep in tents. But after second thought I decided to go and take a look at it because who knows when again i will be in Sahara Desert. Best decision of the week.
Indeed a fire place was made right behind the camp, and local songs were played by the local guides, that were followed by Berber riddles ( that were suspicious modern ones, and similar to the ones i had read already, like how to get a camel into a fridge in 3 easy steps)
For one moment noticed that also two of other Latvians had got out of tents to take peek of the songs that from distance might sound like we are being attacked by some tribes who will boil us and eat us.
And so at about very late in the night o'clock we went to sleep to get up at about 5:00 in the morning. What a cold morning it was.
I usually have a bad memory, but on that morning i could recall all the warm clothes and hats and gloves i had in my suitcase and even tell in what order i packed them. I think i missed the gloves most. We were seated up again on our camels, sure enough I was again behind Stinky Burkšķis( i think he was already a lot better that day) and on we went holding tight to the metal bars of the camel seat.
Sure enough quite fast i remembered how fast will the legs get stiff on the camel. On half way we stopped to rest the legs and see the sunrise. ( How romantic )
After getting out of the sandy desert we had breakfast in nearby hotel, could use a warm shower and get ready for the trip. And here we also finally got rid of all the Latvians, who would spend again 30euro extra each( because didn't listen to me again) to get on time to the airport.
And so ended the trip to Sahara Desert. Two of us got back in the Van with Kamal to drive back to Marrakesh and keep on our trip to see the Ocean for the very first time in Casablanca.
