29 Apr Morocco: In search of the sun

Theodore Monod (one of my heroes) explained that the Tuareg remember the years by the special events that have occurred in them. If there are Tuaregs in the great Erg Chebbi, they will remember this year for the one in which some Spaniards, looking lost in the tribe, brought the rains to the Oubira oasis.

Although for me it will be remembered as the year of penance, the year of that trip in which my many sins were redeemed. In spite of everything, I have to admit that since I'm a bit of a masochist, I even liked it (almost).. If it hadn't been for the girls, we would still be in the first Kasbah.

But let's go by parts, like every great trip, this one started with a few beers in Oraa, (I'm trying to get rid of El Lateral) where, as always, my mouth got hot and I offered to organise a trip through the south for six friends. That's how I am, always willing to help others (and travel for the money). I really wanted to see this again

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And also like every great trip, it ended with a few gin and tonics in a balloon glass in the Xaluca Dades, because we deserved no less (this photo is not of the Dades, but there was no other with gin and tonic, and we have not been short of them).

In between, nothing much to tell, nothing, the typical, sunrise in Ait ben haddou, sunset in the dune of Tinfou, starry night in the oasis of Oubira, sandstorm in the Erg Chebbi, rain in the desert, buggy excursion in the erg, night in a commune in a tent, sunrise in the dunes, Madrid champion of the league, the typical, as I said, the typical.

This time I want to tell you about the trip by reviewing my best and worst moments of these days, I will illustrate it with those wonderful photos that I always take. By the way, I'm going to ask you to vote which is the one you like the most of this trip, because we did a photo contest and I think there was some kind of a joke (I mean, I didn't win it). The winning photo is among these, the one who guesses which one it is will have a very nice and modest prize.

Can you believe this one didn't win?

Nor this one... I mean, the vote was rigged....

The truth is that this other photo doesn't say anything, but I really like the colour, and as I'm the chief editor of the blog I'm putting it here for you.

Well, let's go with the moments, the best and the one that I will keep in my memory the longest, is undoubtedly the gin and tonic we had in Ibrahim's tent, when we arrived in the middle of a sandstorm. Thank you Jordi, few gin and tonics have tasted as good to me.

I also liked the sandstorm a lot, a lot, and I've been in a few (I've told you about when I lived in Chad?).

By the way, it's unbelievable, but it seems like they've been on a camel all their lives...

This was a group that adapted very well to the terrain, proof of which is the photo below, worthy of the cover of National Geographic, in which my brother-in-law can be seen perfectly masked in the environment to make a tour of the Rissani market unnoticed (this photo will self-destruct in a couple of days).

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I also have a good memory of the music Ibrahim played that night (I mean, the first two songs...).

And after the rain, lying on blankets and watching the starry night. Humm, I'm just writing this and I'm getting goose bumps. I can't remember any night in the desert that has left me indifferent. They are all special and the one we spent together in the tent was also special. And what about the sunrise...

And as I see I'm getting tender, and more like a little animal, I have to say that the ride we did in the dunes with Jordi's buggies was the most fun I've had in a long time, almost more than skydiving (I've told you that I have lots and lots of jumps ....?I'll tell you about it, I'll tell you about it, I'll tell you...). I attach the link to their website. Jordi, I'm looking forward to repeat. http://www.desertbuggies.com/

Another thing I love and always recommend is to take a picnic break in a palm grove on the road between Ouarzazate and Zagora. One of the best places to do this is in the Kasbah of Tamnougalt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There, the setting and the company make neither the wine nor the fuet taste the same.

It is also not a bad time to watch the sunset from the Tinfou dunes.

As for the bad moments..., I don't know if you're going to believe it, but the truth is that I don't remember any of them. Well, if anything, the worst was that joke Mario told about Doctor Ming.

Anyway, as you can see, although my African heart will always belong to another city in another country not too far south, there is something about this land that attracts me in a special way and drives me to return again and again. Let's see if it's because of this...

or because of this...

or because beauty is in every detail (by the way, what a great photo...that they didn't know how to appreciate).

And I'll leave you for today. Fortunately, next week I'm leaving for Mauritania, so I won't have time to miss this life. Be good.