São Paulo – The trip from Rabat, the capital of Morocco, to the Sahara desert is a long one, roughly 12 hours. The path, however, is filled with natural beauty and a combination of different seasons of the year. From hot regions to the snow on the road that cuts through the mountains, travellers see a bit of everything, even monkeys risking their lives on the roads to get some food from the drivers.
There are dozens of hotels and rest areas that are used by travellers for eating, fuelling their vehicles and spending the night, before heading to the hostels at the gateway into the Sahara, before everything turns to sand. These are the locations in which tourists wait for the Bedouins and their caravans, which come to fetch them for an hour-and-a-half long trip across the desert, to the tents where all will spend the night.
As soon as they arrive at the hostel, tourists understand why the men who inhabit this region live with their bodies covered by long clothes and cloths that hide their mouths and noses. The strong winds blow sand all around, and protection is required in order not to swallow it or breathe it in. Sunglasses are also a must for keeping one’s eyes open.
When the camels depart, the road, the cars, the hotels, the bathrooms are left behind. Upon arriving in the middle of the Sahara, there are only the tents assembled by the Bedouins to cater to the tourists, their only source of income. Separate tents accommodate men and women, and there is also a central tent where dinner is served, using the food brought along in the trip, on the backs of the camels.
As the meal is being cooked, tourists talk to one another around bonfires lit up to shed light on the total darkness of the desert. Night in the Sahara is very cold, and the fire also serves the purpose of generating heat. Inside the tent, the table is set for everyone to sit around it on the floor. Bread is mandatory, as its presence is part of Moroccan cuisine in every meal, often replacing knives, forks and spoons.
Tagine, a traditional dish made of beef or chicken and boiled vegetables, is served hot and eaten with the hands, and the beef and vegetables are picked up using slices of bread. Over dinner, the Bedouins tell their tales of simple life in the desert, and of what it is like to depend on tourism for a living. They learn different languages, such as English, Spanish and even Portuguese from the visitors they receive.
When the night is over, the trip back to the hostel must be made early to avoid the scorching sun. By waking up at 5:00 am, one can see the sun rise on top of the dunes, a sight much appreciated and photographed by tourists.
One more trip on camelback and tourists are back at the hostel, where the end of the adventure spells relief for some and grief for others, but also the certainty for all that a trip in the Sahara desert is a unique experience, one to be remembered for life.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
