It was dark and cold when our alarm went off this morning. After a quick cup of hot black tea, our guide, Ahmed, led us across the sand.
He showed us how to walk along the ridges and judge the direction of the slopes. It was too easy to take one step to the side and have your foot sink six inches. Likewse, it would be easy to slide down a dune.
Along the way, Ahmed drew our attention to the tracks of desert fox and gerbils, beetles, song birds, and flowering plants. It’s quiet, other than any birds or our own voices. The scent is clean and fresh with a light breeze.
Back on the Road
We walked about two miles across the dunes before breakfast, but it felt like 10! It was a very special experience that I won’t soon forget.
Then we were off on our second long road trip, headed to Marrakesh with an overnight stop in Skoura.
We drove along the bottom of the Todra Gorge. Rock walls soar almost 1,000 feet and a natural spring keeps clear water flowing.
The nearby town of Tinghir provided some storybook oasis views. Water-fed Palmeraie like this one, anchor the centers of many desert towns.
This is a route that connects Fès, Marrakesh and Timbuktu (that’s a place I’ve yet to see – only 2205 miles away!).