Jeeping Around the Sahara, Erg Chebbi

Sahara, the world's largest desert, stretches across North Africa, spanning 6,000 km from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea in a 1,000-2,000 km wide belt. The best time to visit the desert is between November and March. Outside of this period, there are many sandstorms, and we experienced one last night. The wind tossed sand around outside the house and on the roof. We even had a little crack in the bathroom window where sand blew in. The sounds of the storm made us reflect on yesterday's events, so we didn’t sleep too well. We shouldn’t let it get to us, even though the driver was furious and called us all sorts of names. We need to think about our safety. You never know what a hot-headed person might do. It’s impossible to reason with someone who’s just out to scam people. Breakfast at our cozy little hotel was outstanding. It was the best we’ve had in this country so far. We enjoyed bread, pancakes, jam, cheese, honey, eggs, olives, and freshly squeezed juice. Our host had a jeep that picked us up at 8 AM. We were off on a 3-hour trip into the Sahara to explore the desert - it cost us 500 dirhams for both of us. We’re in the Erg Chebbi region, where the dunes reach heights of 300 meters. When we got stuck in the sand, we engaged the four-wheel drive and pulled ourselves free. Our first stop was at a small oasis in the middle of the desert, where we climbed a sand dune that was 250 meters high. The wind was strong at the top, blowing sand everywhere. The climb was especially tough when you sink deep into the sand while trying to go steeply upwards. The sand in the desert comes in many colors. In some places, it’s completely black, in others, it has a reddish hue, and of course, there’s the typical “sand color” we all associate with deserts. We also passed by an abandoned mine and village, where only a few military posts remain. We’re about 25 km from Algeria, which you can see on the horizon behind some mountains. Our last stop was at a small village where some musicians lived. They were from "black" Africa, while most people in Morocco look more Middle Eastern. The transport for the day took a bit of a different turn - but very much in the local spirit. To get to a larger town, we first had to take a minibus to Rassini. There wasn’t a minivan ready to go, so instead, we hopped into a small car with a big open trunk, where we were crammed in with the luggage. It cost 10 dirhams per person. In Rassini, we were dropped off where the "grand taxis/minibuses" wait. The procedure is that when there are 6 customers ready, the minibus leaves. However, there was no minibus in this town - another reason for concern - so instead, we squeezed into a regular car. Four in the backseat, two in the front, plus the driver. There wasn’t much room to spare, but off we went to Er Rachidia. It cost 25 dirhams per person. We were squished in the backseat for about 1 hour and 15 minutes :o) We had a local show us a small, unassuming shop that sold alcohol - normally, Muslims don’t drink, but apparently, some people don’t follow this rule in the country, as the shop had a wide selection of beers, wines, and spirits. We bought a couple of bottles of wine. There’s not much to do in this town, so we’re just drinking and relaxing in our room - which we only arrived at to spend the night. We’re making our way up towards Azrou and then Fez, from where we’ll be flying home.