So finally about Morocco: there is SOOO much to say I can't begin to describe it all. Being the second time in Morocco, I still find it breath taking and fun in every way.
I'll try to fill in details as I go along, but first the SAHARA! First of all, Sahara in Arabic means desert, so this is THE Sahara, because all the other deserts in the world have names.
We packed up last weekend on Friday and took our 7 hour drive south in the mini bus to Merzouga. This was a lot of bonding time us and the students who had just arrived that week. Thirteen of us and two teachers trekked to the Atlas mountains where we fed the semi-wild apes, stopped for a bit of watermelon, then clambered back onto the bus to get to our AWESOME hotel in the middle of nowhere Morocco.
I'll try to fill in details as I go along, but first the SAHARA! First of all, Sahara in Arabic means desert, so this is THE Sahara, because all the other deserts in the world have names.
We packed up last weekend on Friday and took our 7 hour drive south in the mini bus to Merzouga. This was a lot of bonding time us and the students who had just arrived that week. Thirteen of us and two teachers trekked to the Atlas mountains where we fed the semi-wild apes, stopped for a bit of watermelon, then clambered back onto the bus to get to our AWESOME hotel in the middle of nowhere Morocco.
I reverted to my girl scout ways and taught (or re-taught) everyone the cat's cradle game that can last for hours, using my shoelaces. (Photo Courtesy of Josh Lee)
Below: Philipp feeding a nagging ape...
Michael enjoying his hunk of watermelon.
Balcony neighbors at the hotel..
The next morning we got in the bus again and drove to the town of Rissani. We picked up our turbans and water there before heading to hear the magical music in a SMALL town south of Merzouga. Some of the girls even got up to dance.
We continued on in 4x4s offroading to our meeting place with the camels.
At 5pm we mounted our camels for an hour and half ride into the Sahara to our campsite.
At 5pm we mounted our camels for an hour and half ride into the Sahara to our campsite.
We all wanted to watch the sunset, but there was a big dune blocking the way...so naturally we all ran up it....that didn't work as well as we had planned...it was VERY difficult towards the top and we ended up missing the sunset, but we did make it to the top!
Later we returned to the camp, a bit run down after our sprint on the dunes and waited for our dinner.
At night was our true bonding time. We opted to sleep outside under the stars with our blankets and initiated "cuddle time" so that we could all stay warm. We stayed up a little past 1am talking and giggling until exhaustion overtook us and we were wakened by the groaning of camels the next morning.
Later we returned to the camp, a bit run down after our sprint on the dunes and waited for our dinner.
At night was our true bonding time. We opted to sleep outside under the stars with our blankets and initiated "cuddle time" so that we could all stay warm. We stayed up a little past 1am talking and giggling until exhaustion overtook us and we were wakened by the groaning of camels the next morning.
Waking up at 5am to get our butts back on our camels to travel and watch the sunrise was great. We were all a little smelly of camels, dirty, sand in everyplace, but the sunrise was definitely magical. While I didn't top my first picture in the Sahara, I did get quite a good one (featured as the first picture of this post).
This would be a great picture if Kuba wasn't doing something funky in the background
Below: Me and my camel I nicknamed "Arn."
Needless to say we were all pretty "out cold" on the bus ride home. We barely even woke up for gas/bathroom breaks. But we did see one of Morocco's own springs (right in the middle of the flatlands!)
Michael's semi-shower before getting back on the bus.
This was my second time to the Sahara and to be sure, I will be back again. I had so much fun getting to know my new classmates, that these next weeks with them will be some of the greatest!