Day 6: Trekking

see all photos »

It was so cold last night the outside of the tents are white with frost, the inside of the tents are wet, we're frozen......  We didn't sign up for this when we picked a desert trek!! But are we depressed; are we downhearted?  We are not.  Because today we have the lure of an auberge, with cold drinks, hot showers, and REAL toilets!  Yes, it may not sound much, but the novelty of toppling over into viscious acacia bushes, or being nudged by camels, was a toilet novelty fast wearing thin!!

Taking a break
see all photos »

We put on a final show for the local children before we leave - putting on suntan lotion and packing our daypacks.  The girls in particular were fascinated by the latter, and Sharon, Vicky and I found ourselves surrounded by a tight ring of girls scrutinsing every move we made and peering into our rucksacks!

Race you to the showers......

Today we headed for the hills.  A short & rocky uphill brought us to an area of fossils.  Much of it had already been 'quarried' by the locals, searching for small items that could be turned into souvenirs.  But there were still some left, and our own fossil hunt turned up some excellent examples on the rocks.  Of course, we left them where they were. Even in this remote location we were watched by a little girl, who appeared from nowhere and demanded 'un bonbon'!  Honestly, these kids must have an early warning system for approaching trekkers!

The camp ahead of us
see all photos »

The long walk across the plain after lunch was completed with an extra spring in our steps -  those hot showers were beckoning!

Tents up, tea and biscuits consumed, we raced to the auberge uttering the coded password: 'we're with Mostafa'.  This would apparently open the doors to the showers.  We received a friendly greeting from the owners, in Arabic, French, English - hell, any language you wanted!  After a luxurious hot shower by candlelight (the hot water was on, but the electricity was off), we treated ourselves to a cold drink, while the whole family looked on and talked and talked and talked.   For a while we struggled on in French (me & Vicky) and Arabic (Sharon), until the family decided their English was better.  Which it was.

By the time we had all finished it was dark, and we had to make our way back to camp by torchlight.  After getting hopelessly lost the first time, we managed to negotiate the muddy river bed and plain, to where Omar was patiently keeping dinner warm for us.  Tonight we felt clean, happy and relaxed - for tomorrow we didn't have to get up early.  We had a rest day to look forward to.