into the desert

Atar is a lovely place, where time has stood still! I found a gem of an auberge, Bab Sahara, The door to the Sahara, run by a very friendly Dutchman, Justus. His German wife was not there, but Just was helpful, funny and very very nice. I didn;t do much at all in Atar! Getting lazy in my old age, but just hanging out in an hammock was awesomely good for the soul! I travelled from Atar to Chinguetti, where I spend five days in the desert. I had planned to make a six day trip from Chinguetti to Terjit on a camel! The guy at the hotel suggested that I go for one day first! How right he was! I had to be dragged off the beast! Decided I need NOT to prove anything to myself and to let go of very wild dreams! Hence I did lots of watercolours and read lots of books! Chinguetti is in the middle of the desert. I visited two oasis and climbed up the highest sanddune! That was my effort for the week! I enjoyed seeing all the antique , handwritten Koran books. If it was anywhere else the books would be behind glass! As it was they were just stored in cardboard boxes! I returned to Atar for Christmas, where I had an international Christmas with a whole bunch of wonderful people. I had spend one day in Terjit, where I met the most amazing people ever. Mauritania was all round an amazing experience. People are very poor but give away anything they have. So incredibly hospitable, helpful and kind. I loved it! Nouakchott, the capital, was really nothing to write home about! I needed to go to the Senegal Embassy to apply for a visa to move on. And move on I did as I had planned to spend New Years Eve in Senegal!