Goodbye Sahara

 

Today has had a strange feel to it. Our morning wake up has not been like the others.

For starters, we had to be up, packed and ready for breakfast for 6:30am so we could leave camp for 7 prompt (Abdul didn’t get that last memo!!)

We actually started to wake up around 5:15am and slowly emerged from our tents with head torches armed ready to blind whoever you chose to speak to. Getting packed and ready in the dark was a new challenge for us all. A struggle for some more than others, shorts on inside out!! 

We managed to empty our tents, bowels and bladders one last time in the dessert. A quick breakfast of freshly baked doughnuts and a bowl of coffee. Our tents and supplies put on the camels and for the first time, we all set off as one big group with the sun rising behind us as we trekked to our final destination.

We hardly spoke a sound as we covered those last kilometres, all wrapped up for the freezing cold desert morning. The black skies slowly lifting as the sun rose. 

We approached our last stop, a village with our mini bus waiting for us on what would now be an 11 hour drive!! Not what we got told yesterday! The surprises keep on coming lol. We go through the village that’s still asleep. No one around, no sounds, just silence. Until Ellie starts shouting to look at something in a field and is quickly told to sssshhh!! Inside voice lol 

We hugged our Berbers and waved our camels goodbye for one last time. Tears in our eyes, even Pam got emotional as she turned to walk away from Lisa.

The gruelling journey back to Marrakesh begins. All wrapped in our sleeping bags to keep warm on the bus. The countdown to see how quick Leigh can fall asleep. Yep, she’s gone and we haven’t even shut the door. We don’t know how she does it.

We all try to catch up on our sleep as we leave the village and head back. At least 2 hours until our first stop. You can tell that we have been using a hole in the dirt for a toilet the last few days as we all got excited when we stopped at the services. WOW, they had a tiled floor and a toilet that flushed. We couldn’t believe our eyes. We stocked up on sweets and pop (all the things we’d been craving) and got back on the bus. Only a few more hours until we stop again. 

As we drove through the little villages and towns and then the vast expanse, we all had some time to reflect on the friendships we’d made over the last few days. How so close we’ve all became. We’ve talked mainly about food and toilet activities the whole time in the desert. Our days have mainly been planned around what we will be having for meals and snacks. I’d be surprised if anyone has lost weight, we’ve had more treats than the pic n mix counter at Woolies these last 4 days.

So with that in mind, we approach Ouarzazate (in our heads it’s the bud whatsup advert) for our lunch time stop. We had lunch in the tranquil setting of Le Jardin Hotel. It really is a lovely place. Staff so welcoming. They brought platters of salads and bowls of bread that we tucked in to and went back for more. And typical to us, that wasn’t the only course!! Next came the turkey kebabs and roasted vegetables. Finally some fruit to end a great meal. We finished up, said our thanks and goodbyes and boarded the bus.

The temperature was getting warmer outside, and the smell of the bus was getting riper inside. Oh how we ALL needed a shower soon.

After a few more hours on the road and Leigh being asleep again!! We stopped for a coffee and loo break. A quick look round the nick nack shops. Some gifts for home and off we set again. 

Finally, we arrived at our hotel in Marrakesh around 7:30pm, we made good time and pleased we did. Checked into our rooms, unpacked. Showered, hair washed and a shave. That’s everyone sorted for the evening. We met for dinner and cleared the desert buffet. We decided to hit the sack and call it a night. It had been a long day. Tomorrow we volunteer at Dar El Bir Ouai Ihssane, a home specialising in providing help to older people lacking sufficient income and for those suffering from mental illnesses. 

Not many pictures from todays journey.