Dunes in the Sahara

It didn’t occur to me that we were traveling to the Sahara until we were already in Morocco. I knew we’d go to the desert, but I hadn’t realized it was the Sahara-for whatever reason.  I’ve never been, almost all of my travel in Africa, aside from Egypt, has been in Sub-Saharan Africa and I was excited to explore a tiny sliver of this imposing space that spans 9.4 million square kilometers. In general, the sense of mystery and exotic allure has all but faded in most of my travel-a real downside of traveling often, nothing seems out of reach, or all that mysterious anymore-at least for me. But The Sahara, such a visually evocative place. The vast expanse of unexplored, constantly shifting lands holds deep intrigue. And of course, a bit of danger. I love deserts. I love the stark forbidding landscape, the dry, oppressive heat. I think it’s built into my being at this point. There’s something about that bone-dry heat that sinks into your body that reminds me of childhood, and despite its uncomfortable nature, I adore it. I will always love to explore the desert.  Continue reading →