We ride a camel, learn about music, dance, and have tea in a nomad’s tent

Ann had been debating this moment for months now: do I ride a camel? I wasn’t too worried. After all, I rode a mule in Sicily, so a camel wouldn’t be THAT much different, right? We had an 8:00 am camel riding appointment. It was time to find out.

She did it!
She was the leader of the pack for her group and I was the leader for mine.

I wish I’d had the nerve to take pictures while I was actually on the beast but I was hanging on tightly. Our 89 year old friend Robert decided not to ride the camel, but walked alongside us, up and down the dunes. He is a force of nature! Mostafa and the camel driver walked along side taking photos. We were on the camels for almost an hour. It felt like I was doing the splits. Going down the dunes elicited some squeals from me as well as a few choice expletives!

Our camel ride ended at a fancy hotel, where we had a ( nonalcoholic) drink and went on to our next morning activity: music school.

Our instructor taught us about various African musical instruments and we practiced on drums.

After our lesson, we went into another part of the school to listen to a concert and have some – what else? – mint tea.

Then it was party time! One lounge lizard watching us decided not to participate.

Our next trek over the sand took us to the abode of Omar and his family. Omar had been a nomad but as his family grew, he decided to stay in one place. He has built a modest structure but still uses his tent. The children don’t attend school, as it is too far away. The children help with daily chores and learn about life from their grandfather. Their social and cultural life enters around the weekly market.

We see his enclosure where his grandson is preparing vegetables for lunch, then go to the tent for tea and talk.

He answers our questions about his life. He is essentially a squatter and he can be kicked off this land unless he can find ten witnesses who can swear that he has lived here for ten years or longer, not an easy task. Mostafa says that this way of life is rapidly drawing to a close, as progress overtakes those who followed this traditional lifestyle.

We return to the camp for a late lunch, then rest during the heat of the day. I am reading a book on the kindle app but also fall asleep.. We have a late afternoon lecture/ discussion about being a Muslim and then check out what is cooking in the kitchen. After dinner we have musical entertainment and then Mostafa points out the stars in the sky.

We leave the desert tomorrow morning. It is the end of the desert safari, but not the end of the trip. We have more places to go and people to meet ..

My sleeping schedule has been crazy but it seems to work. I usually crash between 10 and 11 then wake up at about 4:00 wide awake, when I write between 4:00 and 7:00. The internet isn’t as busy then. I sometimes fall back asleep but often not.

Tomorrow we leave for Marrakech. I have two days of catching up to do with this blog. Our time spent post desert in Quarzazate was very interesting, and we stayed in a unique hotel.

After three days in Marrakech, the group splits up as some take the post trip to the Atlantic and others are taken to Casablanca to the airport for take off on the 23rd. Linda the nurse from the Santa Rosa area and I are on the same Air Canada 9:00 AM flight from Casablanca to Montreal. We will probably leave for the airport at 3:00 AM. Ann flies back to London at around noon. Mark also flies at that time, but he is going to Egypt on another OAT adventure.

It’s not over yet. Hot air ballooning anyone? Ann and I are thinking about it..