The phrase is deeply engraved in our minds and, above all, in our hearts: "Make more campfires!" Tinu from XT Adventures told him when we asked him what they would have done differently after three years of travelling the world. They would have liked to have made a lot more campfires.
The sentence fits.
I now look out for opportunities at every location. The surroundings are not always suitable for this - danger of forest fires, palm fires or sometimes simply no wood. Here in Merzouga, however, everything fits: no palm trees or trees in danger for miles around and plenty of wood (thanks, Ali, for all the wood!).
And who doesn't dream of a campfire in the desert? While the sun disappears behind the dunes and the cold quickly creeps from our feet into our bodies, we light the fire. We rearrange our chairs several times - the wind seems to have decided to smoke us in today - and just sit there in silence. What an idyll. Thank you, Tinu, for your tip!
The days here in the void pass peacefully. A bit of work, a bit of doing nothing. At some point, our "Maroggo" friends from the ferry even join us for an evening. Of course, we enjoy hours around the campfire here too.
Once we interrupt our sweet idleness with an excursion, our fridge is completely empty and so we are drawn to the "town" of Merzouga for a short time. You can't call it a town, more like a village. Nevertheless, there are a few small cafés, restaurants and some of these little shops. Here with packaged goods, there with fruit and vegetables.
The bags we brought with us are quickly filled and we are quickly sitting in one of these small cafés again. And mint tea and freshly squeezed orange juice are quickly ordered. With a view of the really manageable shopping street, we let the sun tan our faces and watch the colourful hustle and bustle.
Lac Dayet Srijthe temporary lake
On the way back to our secluded spot behind the dunes, we make a short detour to Lac Dayet Srij, the "temporary lake". Lac Dayet Srij is a seasonal salt lake and forms a fascinating contrast to the dry desert landscape. The lake fills up mainly after heavy rainfall and can dry up completely during the dry season. Its existence depends on the water level, which means that the landscape changes dramatically over the course of the seasons.
The wildlife here is said to be particularly impressive. The lake attracts numerous bird species, including flamingos, herons and various waterfowl. When the water level is high enough, it serves as an important resting place for migratory birds travelling between Europe and Africa. We think we saw flamingos far back. Or other peeps. You might realise that we don't really know anything about birds. But we can still look at them and enjoy them.
There is a café on wheels here, probably a temporary one. The Café Desert, the desert café. And I briefly thought it was a café dessert, a "compote" café. Because desserts are rather unusual here, so my brief anticipation was all the greater. So we drink a much too strong but great coffee here with a view of the salt lake, birds of all kinds and dunes in the background.
And the evening? Well, after our daily walk in the dunes, we spend it in our relaxation area by the campfire, just like the last few days. And why not? After all sLet's make more campfires!
Hotel & Campspot: https://www.hotelnomadpalace.com/
Merci for "travelling with us
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