Tuesday "A Desert Day"
Even though I had grabbed an extra mattress as cushioning, my hips and back wake me at intervals.The dogs bark and the muezzin calls, the sun is up early and so am I!
Last night, Dagmar arrived from Austria - a quiet and serene dolphin-lover, and only she, Fallah and I are up when the dolphins make an early morning call. Fallah takes her off for her first swim in the calm of the sunrise. I have a triumph of my own - I manage to make full use of the footprint loo, the only thing that had been slightly concerning me about the accomodation!
After a leisurely pancake
breakfast, we leave at midday for a drive into the desert in the
back of Toyota pick-ups - the modern equivalent of camels!
Gillian, Lucy and I travel in the back of one, well wrapped in
headscarves and blankets. We turn off the highway quite soon, and
head into mountains and along sandy valley floors. We stop to let
air out of the tyres for off-road driving, and as Gillian is
going back to Scotland the next day, everyone wants their photo
taken with her.
We arrive at the traditional
place for picnics, having walked the final part - to find the
lads have already got the fire going outside the black tent that
is permanently in place. Although the sun is hot, the air is cool
and I walk off for a quiet sit in the shade of a thorn tree to
admire the peace of the place. We lounge around on cushions while
the meal is prepared by the men. Fish and chicken cooked in
aluminium foil in the embers, with sliced potatoes, onions,
tomatoes and herbs. Delicious! Gillian has made us a fresh fruit
salad to follow. We are entertained until dusk with songs and
dances.
Its quite chilly by the time we are ready to leave, so Lucy and I wimp out and sit up front in the cab for the return journey. A puncture is swiftly and surely dealt with!
We are still full when it comes to supper time, so we indulge in a small plate of excellent home cooked chips. I have twisted my knee belly dancing in the desert (no photo!) so the night isnt too comfortable.