We say goodbye to the soft, beautiful (and sometimes far too noisy) Merzouga dunes. Our plan is to drive further south, but we soon realise that our plan is reaching its limits. The proximity to the Algerian border and the lack of a 4×4 drive when the road ends abruptly force us to turn back. This is how we reach the southernmost point of this year's winter journey.
On the way back, we come across an impressive herd of camels. To be more precise, they are dromedaries, the so-called old world camels - the one-humped ones. Right at this moment, I have to have a long conversation with a customer. We stop at the side of the road, I make myself a coffee, open my laptop and I'm on the call, as they say these days.
Gerd grabs the camera and approaches the herd of camels. But the animals show little interest in him. Undeterred, he stands still and whispers to them. Perhaps he is lucky and one of the camels comes closer to be stroked. And I silently suspect that he will be successful. Him and the animals!
I watch the scene from the corner of my eye, while most of my attention is focussed on a book project that is taking shape far away in Munich. If you want to find out more about how we organise our work as digital nomads, this article is recommended: https://moliri.ch/seit-sommer-2020-als-digitale-nomaden-unterwegs/
At some point, my coffee cup is empty, the conversation is over and the files are synchronised. Gerd returns from his little private camel tour and we are both beaming with joy. Me, because I was really able to help the customer, and he, because he actually managed to stroke the camels. Yes, their fur is still shaggy, but that doesn't make them any less adorable, graceful and exotic.
Photos: I have no idea why so many purple plants grow in the desert and what they are called. But they look beautiful and remind me a little of the lavender fields in the south of France.
Our journey now continues northwards. Firstly towards northern Morocco, because the ferry to France has been booked and we now have something of a timetable. Ideas for the next trip are already bubbling up, but more on that later. In any case, it won't be America, the spark just won't ignite.
We pass Merzouga one last time and continue our journey. The road stretches endlessly, dead straight and deserted. On the right, the sand dunes rise to leisurely heights and I realise that I don't actually want to leave. Before we enter Erfoud and have to decide how to continue northwards, we turn right onto one of the small bumpy roads. We stop, throw our shoes in the corner and trudge through the hot sand up the dunes one last time. As exhausting as ever, but also beautiful! The sand is particularly hot today and Gerd will have to prick a few blisters on the soles of my feet in the evening. I've never actually had heat blisters from the hot sand before!
Whilst I'm a blister-footer tonight, the camels, because they're clever, are calloused soles! The structure of their feet is fascinating: unlike most other cloven hoofed animals, which appear with the hoof-wrapped tips of their toes, camels touch the ground with the penultimate and last phalanges of their toes. They do not wear hoof shells, but curved nails that only protect the front edge of the feet. The toes rest on an elastic pad of connective tissue that forms a broad sole surface. The two toes are the middle rays (third and fourth toes), the other toes are completely regressed. These so-called "calluses" consist of a horny but flexible layer of skin and help the animals to adapt to different ground conditions. The wide, splayed soles prevent the animals from sinking into the sand - a decisive advantage in the desert or in the high Andes. At the same time, the thick horny skin protects the feet from hot or sharp-edged surfaces.
My delicate feet lack all these marvellous qualities. That's why I now have both soles full of blisters and will probably have to be chauffeured around the country sitting down for the next few days. (At least that's what I tell my chauffeur).
Bye-bye, the great neighbourhood! And thank you for all the wonderful experiences here.
Merci for "travelling with us
Do you think our travel experiences might be of interest to others? Then you can share the Share post quietly. By e-mail or however you want to do it.
In addition, if you haven't already done so, you can use our Newsletter subscribe. Here you will receive all our experiences in your mailbox whenever we publish something new or once a week on Fridays: live-pur.ch/newsletter
We are also very happy to hear your views, your tips or your questions. Just comment on the post!
