Midelt and into the Sahara.... Part 2 of 4

Leaving Fes, it gradually got more remote, drier and dustier as we began the trek towards and ulitmately into the desert. We stopped at Zaida - a tiny, dusty dot on the map - for lunch where I was not at all confident about the available selections. In the end Elizabeth and I chose the fresh (albeit fly blown from hanging in the street) meat from the butcher, which he ground and mixed into kofta patties with onion and parsley and spices for us, which we then took to the restaurant next door where they cooked it on the street BBQ, for lunch. Be it known now that those that chose the tagine that had been sitting on the hotplate on the side of the road for god knows how long have been 'spewing and shitting since' quote-unquote Henry. I am one of two of our group of 12 still standing - the South American baptism of fire fixed me for life; I think....

Here's my friendly butcher, who no doubt saved me from food poisoning...

....and another fine hygenic roadside butcher example..... note intact head of goat - its a delicacy.....

This is Sarfi - her Mum Fatima didn't want to be photographed; but they made a cute pair walking up the street zith baby strapped to Mum's back. Her Mum was thrilled to see a picture of her.

I learnt a lesson in Zaida that scarred me for a few days: trying to eat my kofta, an old man and his daughter were standing with their hands out, staring at us while we were eating. I assumed that they were after money and they really irritated me - in the end we had a lot of leftover meat and bread, and I said I'd take it over 'but they probably will turn their noses up and ask for money'. I was very wrong. They were incredibly grateful and when I walked past later the girl - not much younger than me - kept smiling the warmest smile and I thought; 'I think I spent too much time in Cairo and it made me cynical'. Lesson learnt: some people are genuinely hungry and poor.

On arrival in Midelt, I was pleased to see that we got stay in simple Berber style (native Moroccans for want of a better term) mud brick accommodations - an auberge - Auberge Jaafar and I recommend going and staying there immediately. They were comfortable but simple - and close to the Berber Village of Berrem, called Kasbah des Noyers, which we got to walk through.... a photographers dream....

The Berrem village is on the left; and the gorges des Berrem to the right...

We met some of the local villagers....

These white decorations on a mud brick house means that one of the occupants will soon be married.....

Local village girl: she was stunning.

'Thrilled' doesn't begin to cover how I felt to see that the auberge had Rose from Meknes on the menu. And on first sip I fell a bit deeper in love with Morocco.... So it was tout suite up to the rooftop of the auberge for sunset with Emma and Eliwabeth - I got lucky having those two in my group. I instantly adored them both, and though Elizabeth is from London (story of my life it seems) and living in Rome, Emma is from Melbourne and we have a lot in common - she likes to create her own personal soundtracks to events as well, and she can quote Dirty Dancing more accurately than I can. Respect.

Emma and I, Rose in hand with the mountains of the Middle Atlas behind us....

....and still laughing with Henry.....

And the sunset was indescribably gorgeous.

The Villagers sang for us.....

...and even the kitchen staff came out to join in. So did we after three bottles of Meknes' finest.

Off to the Sahara.

On the edge of the desert, it was all aboard camels (the only way to get to the camp deep in the dunes).....here I am with my sand proofing in situ.

Our desert camp.....

I've been lucky enough to have two desert camps on this trip - one in Jordan and one in Morocco - both were quite different; but with two things in common: the stars are amazing, the silence is deafening. The difference in the Sahara was that the sunrise was truly stunning - not so much the sun itself, but the colours of the dunes.....

After a night of camping with no facilities; it was back on the camel, and back to civilisation.... although a shower was still a long way away, let me tell you....

I call this one 'self portrait':

I'm now walking normally again, and the chafing is gone: over an hour each way on a hump is not pleasant. It was worth it though - camping in the dunes of the Sahara was remote and beautiful, and I loved it. I just have to get rid of the Sahara out of every nook and cranny - I keep finding sand in the darnedest of places.....