Bob in the Desert

So here’s a bit of a snap shot of what I have let myself in for.  Doesn’t look too bad - except when you remember that the day time temperature is about 30 degrees and it falls to minus one at night.

Day one:
Head out from Heathrow to Ouarzazate via Casablanca. What’s the betting my bloody bag goes somewhere else and I am left stranded with no gear…  The place with the unpronounceable name is found just at the foot of the High Atlas mountains, on the edge of the desert.

Day two
Early breakfast than out into nowhere - or M’Hamid to be more accurate.  The drive will go over the mountains and into the ‘Valley of a thousand Kasbahs’.  The last chance for a proper cold drink…  After a stop for lunch, it’s time to load up the camels that will carry most of the gear and then off into the wilderness.  At the moment it looks like a three hour walk to Erg Lihoudi.

Day three
Early breakfast as the sun comes up - check all gear for scorpions and other ‘visitors’ then off over a series of small dunes.  We’ll walk for about four hours before stopping for luch and then on out of the dunes onto a rocky plateau near L’oued L’autruche (I’m sure he was a little mime artist!) where we will camp for the night.

Day four
The first part of day four is over stony ground (nice) but is quite flat - I’m told we should look out for fossilied sea creatures.  (sounds like some of the guys who stand around me in The Shed on a Saturday!)  It’s another four hour morning trek, before a tough afternoon climbing some of the bigger dunes.  Shifting sand will mean that the going will be harsh, especially in the afternoon sun.  Once we reach the top of the dunes it’s time to make camp for the night.

Day five
The morning is crossing a stony, flat desert or hamada, there are several short climbs and it is, apparently very dusty.  Nice when all the water we have is for drinking and not washing…  Somewhere in the middle of this lot is the only tree for miles.  around, and that is where we will break for lunch.  After lunch it’s more hamada until we reach a ridge overlooking Chgaga - the largest sand dune in the region.

Day six
Like the last two, this is another seven hour shift, but starts with a climb to the top of a 300 metre high sand dune (oh joy) but am promised spectacular views from the top.  Mostly of me laying on the ground gasping, probably.  The good news is that having reached the top, we go down the other side.  More trudging over sand and flat desert until we get to Jebel Bani for the night.

Day Seven
We’re promised a day of mirages - sod trees and water, mine will be a row of pints of Guinness. It’s more of the hamada stuff to start with before we arrive at a flat open saltpan.  This is quite close to the 100th km.  The last night in the desert is spent on the saltpan, I’m told that I can expect the most spectacular sunset.  My camera will be ready!  By that time we will have been on the road - or sand - for around eight hours.

Day eight
Last day in the desert… A few hours walk will see us out of the desert to be met by a truck which takes us out to a road - yes a proper road.  From there it’s onto a bus to cross the mountains into Marrakech.  And a hotel.  And a bath.  And beer… well their had better be beer or I’m going to cry.

Day nine
A free day to wander around Marrkech (Wander!!! their having a laugh - I’m going to pay someone to carry me) to get ripped off in the markets and robbed by bandits.

Day ten (15th March)
Up early and out to the airport and home.