M'HAMID, CHEGAGA BIVOUAC DESERT CAMP, MARRAKECH

FAVOURITE PHOTO

THE PREVIOUS DAY SAW US SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS IN THE
SAHARA DESERT NOT FAR OUT FROM M'HAMID, A SMALL TOWN
ON THE EDGE OF THE DESERT AND WHERE OUR GUIDE HABIB
WAS BROUGHT UP.

THIS MORNING, WE RODE OUT OF THE DESERT ON CAMELS.
A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!

DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER.

~~~oOo~~~

ACTUALLY IT DOES!! MORE ABOUT THAT LATER....

HABIB GREETED US BACK IN M'HAMID AND GAVE US A COUPLE OF
SMALL GIFTS INCLUDING A BERBER SCARF EACH. HE ALSO GAVE
ME A LOVELY LITTLE SILVER NECKLASS OF A HAND WITH A BLUE
EYE IN THE MIDDLE.

HABIB SHOWED HUBBY HOW TO PUT ON HIS SCARF. I'LL UPLOAD
THE VIDEO WHEN I WORK OUT HOW.

BLUE IS THE COLOUR OF BERBER NOMADS. OTHER NOMADS HAVE
DIFFERENT COLOURS THAT SIGNIFY THEIR TRIBE.

HABIB HAD A BIT OF BUSINESS TO DO IN TOWN SO WE HAD A
WANDER AROUND AND FOUND A NICE LITTLE CAFE FOR A SNACK
AND COFFEE AND A BIT OF PEOPLE AND DONKEY WATCHING.

NOW FOR THE BEST BIT

WE WERE HEADED ACROSS MILES OF DESERT SAND AS FAR AS
YOU COULD SEE TOWARDS THE HUGE DUNES OF CHEGAGA AND
OUR DESERT CAMP FOR TONIGHT.

YOU WOULDN'T THINK THAT YOU COULD SEE ANOTHER VEHICLE
OUT HERE IN THIS REMOTE DESTINATION. BUT WE DID.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE SAW A FEW OTHER 4X4s HEADED IN
THE SAME DIRECT. NO ROADS OUT HERE THOUGH... SO HABIB
PUT PEDDLE TO METAL AND OVERTOOK THE LOT HAHA....
SAHARA DESERT PEAK TRAFFIC HOUR

CHEGAGA BIVOUCA CAMP

ARRIVING AT HABIB'S CAMP SITE AT CHEGAGA DUNES WAS AMAZING!
WE WALKED UP THE HUGE DUNES. HOWARD MADE IT TO THE TOP...
I JUST SAT AND ENJOYED WATCHING THE SUN SET OVER THE SAHARA.

BY THIS TIME ONE OF HABIB'S STAFF HAD ARRIVED WITH SOME FRENCH
TOURISTS. WE HAD DINNER BY GAS LANTERN AND THEN THEY BROUGHT
OUT THE DRUMS AND WE HAD A PARTY IN THE SAHARA

AND ANOTHER NIGHT JUST US SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS. THE OTHERS
OPTED TO STAY IN THE CABINS. SILLY THEM
HOW AWESOME IS THAT!

NEXT MORNING WE HAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE DESERT AND HEAD
BACK THE QUICK NO ROAD WAY TO MARRAKECH.

BERBER CAMP IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

WE STOPPED QUICKLY AND HABIB HAD A CHAT. MINUTES LATER
HE BOUGHT A ROCK... (METEORITE). BACK IN THE CAR HABIB
EXPLAINED THAT METEORITE CAN FETCH VERY GOOD MONEY.

ANOTHER INTERESTING SIGHT. AN EMPTY PETROL STATION IN
THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF LOCALS SITTING UNDER THE TREE
WHO WANTED MONEY TO SHOW YOU AROUND. WE JUST
STOPPED, WOUND DOWN THE WINDOWS, TOOK A FEW QUICK
PHOTOS AND MOVED ON.... BEFORE THE LOCALS REALISED IT.
HABIB KNEW ALL THE TRICKS

BACK TO THE TIZI N'TICHKA PASS OVER THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS.

OUR HOLIDAY IN MOROCCO WAS COMING TO AN END....

BUT NOT BEFORE WE SAW THE GREAT NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN...

STAY TUNED FOR MY NEXT BLOG.