100kms Into A FIERCE DESERT WIND 💨 Or A 46C (115F) Day? 🥵
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Published 2024-06-29
Leaving an hour or so after sunrise, heat wasn’t my immediate problem. Instead, with no obstacles a fierce wind out of the east made for such slow going I barely managed 8km/hr in first gear. It was grim, slow going, with my head down much of the time.
Back in Tozeur I recafinated and resupplied before pressing on east. The wind was still up, but now - mercifully- the road was lined with trees forming a bit of a windbreak. In the last village, whilst taking some photos of a typically Tozeurian brick minaret, a passing motorist took objection. Hilariously he actually asked me “What, do you think you are free?" I’m afraid I laughed out loud; you see ‘free’ is very thing the National Guard have been insisting I absolutely am every time I moan about them following me about. So when the grumpy motorist threatened to call the police I very nearly gave my name and told him to say hi from me.
From here 50km of desert separated me from the next village. In other circumstances I would’ve tackled this the next day, but I was rushing to beat the impending heatwave forecasted to being temperatures up to 47C (117F) arriving the following day. Thank goodness the wind dropped somewhat in the afternoon and though I began flagging in the final 20kms, I cleared the empty stretch with minimal fuss. In fact I was offered a lift (declined) and was twice given water.
At the first village I made inquiries with some friendly women out for a walk, but no hint was taken. Searching for a wild camp, dunes out to a natural spring stank with garbage, kids asking for money followed me about an abandoned hotel, and in the palmeraie I couldn’t find a secret spot without (probably very nice) men drinking tea in the shade. So I returned to the nearby neighbourhood where I’d been greeted warmly in the street. This time my enquiries about a place to camp were met with an immediate invitation to stay in a breezy cool reception room. I was brought icy cold chunks of watermelon, and spicy spaghetti with meat. The women and I chatted a little on the steps in the breeze outside their house before I crashed a little after sunset.
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All Comments (9)
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The desert heat is definitely not something you want to ignore. I’ve been to Las Vegas when it was 112 Fahrenheit which was way too hot for my liking. Stay cool and safe travels.😊
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Princess Hels, you deserved that nice place
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Life is simple and peaceful 🇹🇳 ❤️👍
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Be careful of sunstroke 🌞 in the desert. Be careful. The desert has a harsh nature
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Very nice hinnah.😊
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❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
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So the ladies treated you to hinnah.
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You paid for the tail wind in saudi 😂