After some sugar puffs of varying chewiness, we set off for Erg Shagaga dune, also known as Lady Gaga dune, but first walking through fields of green with the occasional donkey.
The landscape was almost prehistoric, and it would have been good to have seen dinosaurs, not donkeys. We soon left the green fields and traversed (is this the right word?) the smaller dunes, slowly edging to the big boys.
We ascended in a zigzag fashion, pausing too often for photography. This was the moment where you realise which trip you’re on, as it it was here that we could get photographs similar to the brochure, of groups climbing a dune, with only sand for backdrop. We teetered on the sandy ridges, like confused skiers.
We got to the top, and fuck me it was windy. Then, the disappointedly unexpected happened, we saw ANOTHER PERSON. I suspect she hadn’t wanted to see us either, as she seemed to be seeking solitude. You don’t get that when we are in town, cackling and trying to find a cheese that begins with O. Conversely to our decorated feet, this lady was barefoot.
We took plenty of pictures, and risked our cameras blowing away. Then, we were allowed to run down the dune. This is a bucket list activity! It’s like running in slow motion. Running without running. But lots of screaming. From me. Tracey Island was scared, so walked down. She risk assesses everything.
We crossed more terrain, this time the Easter egg mud, which is like pre-moistened mud plates, with a satisfying crunch, which can be likened to the puncturing of bubble wrap.
The hike to lunch seemed long, and the last part was in ruts of golden sand, not even a quarter as glamorous as it sounds.
But, today was an idyllic lunch stop. Under a tree. The only problem was flies falling out of it. Over lunch, Kristina stirred a fly into her lentils. The lentils were good though, regardless of that.
The afternoon was fabarama with many word games. Camp was the ultimate mirage though, and took ages to approach, but when we got there we had coffee and cake, and I had a nice poo.
I bargained with Nick and Michael for phone charge. I needed my iPhone as my camera now had sand in, I had let my guard down on Lady Gaga.
I did the crane for everyone, Darren did the crab (yoga references). Other highlights of the day included Nick dive-bombing the vegetation, and his discussions over a missing rug which he then realised was on the floor in his bedroom. Nick is slowly reaching legend status. He also revealed he was asked to find a leg of salmon during his first few days cheffing.
We had some Peter bread with dinner. It is pitta bread, but my Mum names it after a boy, for some scrambled reason.
We chatted about the next day, where we would be allowed to ride camels without having to faint first. It is will also be Terry’s birthday, so we are hatching plans. If only we had a laminator.
It was my first night sleeping outside, so I put all my clothes on to prepare for it. I wore two pairs of socks and couldn’t feel my toes, so took one off. I went to bed with Tracy, Dick and we sat chatting, in our cocoons. Then, in a Big Brother moment we realised we could hear the tent talking about us, it was all goo d though, they think I’m naive apparently, and remain excited about this blog.
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