For the Name's Sake.

🗓 posted Nov 28, 2011 by Josh Erb
🔢 408 words
🏷

Well friends, I have taken another weekend excursion. This time to the Western Sahara. It was a wonderful time, as well as a welcomed diversion from a difficult decision I have been trying to make over the past week or so.

The trip was fairly straight forward. A group of seven students made plans with a private driver who made the long journey faster and much more convenient. We drove 10 hours to a small town called Merzouga which sits right on the edge of the red-tinted (or so I'm told) dunes of the vast desert. Once we got to our check-point - a small hostel - we took time to rest up before our Berber guides showed up with camels.

We rode those camels for two hours into the desert, until we found a camp. I can't speak for the others in the group, but I personally formed an intense bond with my camel over those two hours. His slow hobble, and unsightly gait will be sorely missed from the rest of my exchange. Anyway, due to the fact that we were not going during the typical desert trekking season, it was rather cold and windy the whole night we camped out. Nevertheless it was a great adventure, and I'm happy to share a few of my favorite pictures with you.

I was in the very back, which made for good photo-ops.

Just an all around cool picture.

My faithful steed throughout the trip: Special One.

We matched! I think that's why we bonded so well.

The sunset over the Sahara. The picture doesn't do it justice.

If you want to see more pictures you can find them here.

Aside from that I don't have much more to report. Life here keeps marching on as we approach the end of the fall semester. It's been a bit stressful for everyone, and I'm sure I'm not the only one in my group who's been having minor panic attacks as the days in the calendar whoosh by. Of course, my situation is a little different, but I won't get into that until it's absolutely necessary.

In the meantime, here is a long overdue haiku:

Western Sahara

Oh! what mystery you hold

Kaleidoscopic

As always, I'll be sure to to keep the updates coming as frequently as possible, but until then, thanks for taking the time.

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