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I keep saying that because, frankly, it sounds cool.

Tomorrow we’re taking six days and heading all the way across Morocco to the edge of apparent nothingness in the Sahara Desert. We’ve hired a driver to take us most of the way, and then we’re hiring a car for the last stretch.

In the hopes of not becoming a page A16 news item about ignorant, lost tourists, I figured I’d post our itinerary here:

1. Our driver takes us from Essaouira across the Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate. That’s going to be about eight hours but trust me, it’s less heinous than the flight options.
2. We stay over night in Ouarzazate at the Hotel Mercure Ouarzazate.
3. The next morning we rent a car from the local Budget Rent-a-Car (a little odd? Yes) from and drive southeast about 200 km to M’hamid.
4. We stay three nights at M’hamid at a kasbah called Dar Azawad. The second night we ride camels out into the desert to stay at a camp. Yes, sort of a CamelCamp. I’ve explained to Julie that camels are hateful, smelly, spitting beasts, but she as insistent that we give it a try.
5. We have one free night. We’ll probably drive back through Ouarzazate, head through Skoura to Kelaa El Megouna. We’ll stay over night somewhere before returning to Ouarzazate to get picked up for the long drive back to the coast.

Not to worry any parents–I’m sure it’s very safe. Here’s the route:

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As a matter of interest, this will be the longest time I’ll be without internet access since, well, since I can remember. Of course, who am I kidding? I’m sure all our hotels will have public terminals, or there will be internet cafes a-plenty. I may really try not to check email.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 at 7:03 am and is filed under Morocco, Travel. Tag Testing Project: camels, El Megouna, Essaouira, mhamid, morocco, ouarzazate, sahara desert, skoura. Photo by Paolo Macorig. You can skip to the end and leave a response, or trackback from your own site. If you don't see your comment within a day or so, drop me an email. Sometimes my comment spam filter gets overly zealous.