{"id":3425,"date":"2022-11-15T10:41:39","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T10:41:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.camelvoyages.com\/?p=3425"},"modified":"2023-04-28T00:51:10","modified_gmt":"2023-04-28T00:51:10","slug":"circuit-steve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.camelvoyages.com\/?p=3425","title":{"rendered":"Circuit *Steve"},"content":{"rendered":"

Circuit *Steve<\/strong><\/span>
\n(*Short for Stephanie)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Steve\u2019s original plan had been to accompany myself and Geoffrey on a Camel Voyage trip in March 2020, but at the very last moment, our itinerary fell by the wayside due to covid.\u00a0 All arrangements cancelled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over two and a half years later, Steve\u2019s enthusiasm to travel across the Sahara on camelback had not diminished, likewise her energy!\u00a0 And so it was that on Tuesday 1st<\/sup>November 2022, we all found ourselves in Terminal 2 London Heathrow, boarding TunisAir Flight 791 \u2013 a brand new aircraft, which departed bang on time! We got to Tunis and the Hotel Africa where we celebrated our unusually prompt arrival with a bottle or two of wine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before breakfast the next day, a visit to the STB bank adjoining the hotel to exchange pounds into dinars.\u00a0 At 10 am sharp, Belgacem was in the hotel carpark, ready to load us and our luggage into his Citroen for the 7 hour drive to Douz, stopping off at El Jem for lunch \u2013 the restaurants here are a stomach churning combination of slaughter house, butcher\u2019s shop, take away mutton and chips, \u00a0complete with in-house dining area packed with discerning locals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hotel Sahara Douz<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Our two-night stay at The Hotel Sahara Douz was just what Steve needed to fortify herself for the five day camel voyage that lay ahead.\u00a0 She took advantage of the cloudless blue sky, relaxing on a sun lounger by the pool, and reading \u2013 that was when she wasn\u2019t actually swimming.\u00a0 And my ultra efficient friend had the foresight not only to book a massage for herself, but also one for me as a \u2018thank you\u2019, to await our return from the demands of the Sahara.<\/span><\/p>\n

Steve\u2019s efficiency was later to win her the utmost respect from our Bedouin guides, Adel and Ali.\u00a0 Ali\u2019s mobile had run out of juice, and his first port of call was to ask me if I had a charger, which needless to say I did not!\u00a0 Steve of course did \u2013 she had exactly the right gadget, and after a tense wait to see whether or not it had worked its magic, Eureka, it had!\u00a0 From that moment on, she was Queen of the Desert!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Steve and Ali<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Lahajah was the camel who had the honour of carrying the Queen, with Lazrak, his seven year old companion, carrying her overnight accommodation in the form of a rolled up communal tent.\u00a0 I was aboard my beloved Zeydoun, who for the first time, was beginning to feel his age – twenty-two years to be precise.\u00a0 He had difficulty getting up, and on two occasions, I thought he was going to topple over \u2013 an unnerving experience for his seventy-six year old rider, and for Adel who looks after him.\u00a0 On my next camel voyage, I will ride another camel and Zeydoun will carry the tent – the passing of time has caught up with both of us \u2013 negotiating steep dunes now out of the question, but then our guides are getting older too, opting for the level going where possible.\u00a0 In places, the sand was the consistency of flour.\u00a0 On my walks to go behind a bush, I sometimes found myself knee deep in the stuff, making me realise what hard going it must be for our guides.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Steve atop Lahaja with Ali<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The Bedouin were desperate for rain, so vital for the desert vegetation on which the livestock survive.\u00a0 And I was shocked to find that one of the most important wells, Bir Boubacher, had fallen into disrepair.\u00a0 The pulley system had rusted, and the drinking troughs were filled not with water, but with sand.\u00a0 The well keeper\u2019s house was deserted.\u00a0 Adel and Ali had to cut off the top of one of their plastic jerry cans, and make holes in the sides for cord so that the can could be lowered into the depths of the well.\u00a0\u00a0One of Ali\u2019s \u00a0pale green plastic sacks, \u00a0moulded into the sand to form a bowl shape, was the improvised watertight drinking vessel \u00a0for the thirsty dromedaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Thirsty Work…..!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

A big moment came for Steve when she was asked if she would like to ride young Lazrak.\u00a0 Ali reckoned she was the ideal empathetic rider to get him acquainted to having a tourist on his back \u2013 up until now, he had only carried a tent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sunrise and sunset were the beautiful bookends of our desert days.\u00a0When darkness fell, a roaring camp fire crackled, supper was served, followed by a cabaret of pipes, drums and dancing.\u00a0 When bedtime finally beckoned,\u00a0 the desert was bathed in silvery moonlight.\u00a0 Steve walked back to the tent, her moon shadow leading the way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Tent Moon ….!<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Circuit *Steve (*Short for Stephanie) Steve\u2019s original plan had been to accompany myself and Geoffrey on a Camel Voyage trip …<\/p>\n

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