During the five years I'm living and travelling in Morocco, the Sahara had reveiled itself as close as M'Hamid to me. There was this call from the sand dunes and the red golden sunsets, for some reason however, when I went down South, the sun was hiding and big sandstorms were stopping me mentally from going all the way into the desert.
My intention was that I simply HAD to experience this part of Morocco, and after some procrastination I thought September would be the perfect month to make it all the way. And so I booked.
The camp was way passed Merzouga and the most South into the Sahara. I was promised breathtaking views and an amazing sunrise, together with all the luxuries a luxury desert camp has to offer.
The camp was way passed Merzouga and the most South into the Sahara. I was promised breathtaking views and an amazing sunrise, together with all the luxuries a luxury desert camp has to offer.
And so we finally made it to Erfoud, one stop away from our final destination. The second night in Erfoud I woke up and heard the wind. Stronger and stronger it became and early morning when I went out on the terrace the Sahara sand was like a golden filter on everything outside.
The streets of Erfoud remembered me of desolate cities in Texas that I used to see in cowboy films and big clouds of sand were terrorising everyone outside.
My hope on golden views on the famous dunes were fading away for every hour the wind was getting stronger and I was getting disappointed on yet another missed Sahara experience everyone else but me seemed to be able to enjoy.
The streets of Erfoud remembered me of desolate cities in Texas that I used to see in cowboy films and big clouds of sand were terrorising everyone outside.
My hope on golden views on the famous dunes were fading away for every hour the wind was getting stronger and I was getting disappointed on yet another missed Sahara experience everyone else but me seemed to be able to enjoy.
There was a reason for me to have to return, time after time again, to this amazing always changing desolate land of sand dunes...
At that point my perception changed and I enjoyed!
I enjoyed the camel ride covered in Hamid's turban.
Due to the mist of sand there was no sunset to enjoy, no red coloured sand dunes to take your breath away! I took it as an invitation to come back once again!
I loved the night outside with a small group, making music with the sound of the wind guiding us through the night.
That same night out in our tents, the wind was stronger then ever before and the heat was unbearable. We opened the entrance to get in some fresh air. The next morning we were completely covered with sand and when we came outside we hardly recognised the setting from the evening before.
The wind had thought us all a lesson. A lesson of deep respect. Respect for the power of nature , and also respect for the people running this camp as well as their battle to get the place ready for new clients every day again....
