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Part guest house, part opium den, part 1970s love shack. Such is the Auberge Jaafar.
Midelt. Smack in between the middle and high atlas mountains, and smack in the middle of windy NOWHERE!
But this place is awesome. Where else can you find a decorative plastered ceiling with antique pink painted rosettes and golden cornices, with a fluroescent pink and blue Moroccan settee, red shagpile rug, an emerald green tassley wall hanging covered with sequins, mission brown and gold filagree wall tiles, nannas brocade cushions...... All in the same room?!?!?
The auberge is halfway between a B&B guesthouse and a school camp. It is a mumbo-jumbo of houses and outbuildings joined together with twisting passageways, indoor-outdoor courtyards and closed in patios. Its a nightmare to navigate but its a scream.
I met a Scotsman from Tassie and an English woman from Bath, who themselves only just met the night before leaving the UK, (long story that involves die-hard mothers) and who are travelling through Morocco overland (ie off the beaten track) in a custom landrover he built from scratch. It is the Taj ma Landie. I am very envious of the trip they are about to do. To have everything they need to go where ever they want and stop where ever they please. I seriously thought about stowing away, but I hope to meet up with them in Essaouira in a couple of weeks to catch up on their adventure.
We left Auberge Jaafar behind and aimed for the High Atlas, deserted rocky peaks and dramatic river valleys. It is as spectacular as it is barren. Lifted and folded mountains have eroded to reveal layers of strata running every which-way. In a blink we are over the range and into the Ziz valley oasis, where we find iconic red adobe Kasbahs amongst the date palms and olive trees.
After a bit of off-the-bus-on-the-bus, including a bizarre stop at a fossil factory where the guide didnt really speak English, we arrived at the Erg Chebbi dunes outside Mergouza late in the afternoon. Its hard to believe that ten days ago I was cruising the eastern-most Saharan dunes in a 4WD, and today I traverse the western Sahara on a camel!! Theres a lot of sandy desert in between.
Waiting to get on the camels Im soooooo excited. We travel in a caravan of about 30, our Geckos group and another on a shorter itinerary who are joining us. My camel looks friendly enough, though the saddle is crooked and everyone says I look like Im about to fall off! Ive named my camel Fred, for "Right Said Fred" coz he keeps pulling to the right. I would also like to make some mods to my "saddle" (aka a blankie on the hump), namely some stirrups for my feet, which flayed around due to my legs being too short, and some padding for the old v-jay-jay. In the words of the great Chrissie Amphlett: "Its a fine line between pleasure and pain"! (Too much information?)
Snaking our way through the dunes in a caravan of camels is magic. The weather is perfect, clear azure sky with brilliant orange dunes, and not a breath of wind. This is the taste of Morocco I have been waiting for. Forget the medinas and souks, give me a camel and a Kasbah in an oasis in the desert every time!
We made it to our berber camp just before sunset. Its a similar set-up to the bedouin camp in Jordan, with a series of tents set in a square, opening onto a "courtyard" of outdoor rugs and mattresses. Everyone runs up the huge dune to watch the sunset, I retreat to a smaller one behind the camp for some seclusion and the chance to write.
Our belching caravan of camels sit patiently, right dressed in 3 ranks, to wait the night out. They are amazing creatures. Around me I notice the lightest trace of meandering Gecko footprints across the sand. My path is a chain of craters. Not so subtle. As the light fades the dunes turn from sun-burnt orange to purple. The aroma of freshly cooked tagine calls me back to camp. Our evening ends with some fireside drumming by the camel drivers, and a howling wind that sets in for the night.
Come dawn the wind was still howling and we were sandblasted the whole way back to the Kasbah. Popping out of the dunes we were met with awesome dance music pumping out of another Kasbah across the plain. When asked what was going on, our tour guide said there was often music festivals here. We all looked at each other and said "aaaaah, no Mohamed, its a rave". I dont think he knew what we meant. Several of us were keen to unhook our camels and head over, but it wasnt the done thing. Shame, what an amazing place to party!!
I will never forget our camel safari into the Sahara, it has been the highlight of Morocco thusfar. Next stop Todra Gorge. Have a happy and safe Easter everyone!
- comments
Lindy Warrell Next time, the 4x4 and a personal guide perhaps? Maybe a longer stay in some places. If so, where would you choose and why? Think about it. Fancy you remembering Easter over here LOL
Julie Camel safari!! What a blast!! xx