What goes down must come up (or something like that)

I had originally only planned to do one post of Sahara photos, because really, seen one sand dune seen 'em all, right?

Wrong! I've decided I love these sunrise photos so much that I couldn't bear for you not to see them (despite their obvious similarities to the previous sunset!) besides which, I don't want to miss out on telling you about our saharan sunrise. So...

If it's possible, sunrise was even more magical than the sunset. After spending the night wrapped in blankets smelling suspiciously like camel, we were woken at 6am by the sound of our Berber guides clapping their hands outside the tent. In the pitch dark, we rolled out of bed and grabbed our stuff, which was pretty simple since we hadn't unpacked at all (by the time I'd gone to bed the night before it had been much to cold to consider changing my clothes, so I'd ended up sleeping dressed just as I was, including coat, scarf and beanie - which had the unfortunate side effect of ensuring that my coat smelt like camels for the rest of the trip!) The first rays of sunlight were just beginning to peek over the dunes as we made it onto the camels and set out across the sand. 

As we rode it grew lighter and lighter, the colours on the dunes cycling through a rainbow of purple, pink and orange as the sun climbed above the horizon and settled into a beautiful blue sky. 

I could have stayed there forever, but eventually the time came to get back onto the camels and head away from the dunes - there were many more things to see and besides, breakfast awaited! 

Bisous, 

Alice x 

The Sandy Sahara at Sunset (and other rhyming fun)

The road out to the dunes was the bumpiest yet, and our heads were continually battered against the roof of the van as we headed out to find ourselves a little piece of Sahara. Concerningly, at some seemingly random point our driver turned off-road completely, so that we were driving along the edge of the desert, dodging pot-holes, puddles, and the occasional wild camel, with no destination in sight. Finally, however, we spotted our 'camel-train' waiting for us in the distance. Hurrying thankfully out of the van and transferring somewhat awkwardly to our next (slightly smellier) mode of transportation, we set off into the dunes...

The van and any other traces of civilization were soon completely out of sight, and the only other signs of life were the hoof marks of camel-trains gone before us. After an hour or so (which was quite enough camel-riding for us!) we reached the berber tents where we were to spend the night. 

As the sun was setting rapidly, we quickly climbed the nearest dune, and then sat and watched the colours play out over the sands. 

This is the Africa I was looking for. 

Bisous, 

Alice x