Camel Trek to Araouane
It was extremely early in the morning when the nomads appeared with our camels. Groaning, the camels folded their bodies to the ground, protesting violently, and the herders sorted out which camel was the right one for each of us. I was very nervous about doing a camel trek and could have ridden in a 4WD but showed some guts and got up on it. Camels are high off the ground and also like to bite! Roberto assured me that I was on a "gentle" camel (yeah, right...if he could have gotten to my leg, a chunk would have been missing). "Ex-Marine" was equally concerned ...View image... and we made our camel herders promise NOT to gallop our camels. Not to worry...they tied each camel to the one in front of it and off we set for our three hour ride to Araouane. Early Bird Sale, Europe from $438* round-trip!
Susan galloped by on her camel... View image... but we just plodded along, up and over dunes, surrounded by sand and the quiet Sahara. Way in the distance, the little town of Araouane appeared.
us on camels
Araouane was founded in the 11th century and survives because of the salt trade. It is the last town in the Sahara between the salt mines of Taudenni to the North, and Timbuktu to the South. When the salt caravans reach Timbuktu, the blocks are loaded on boats and transported down the Niger River to Mopti.
We walked through Araouane, meeting with the the "Amenokel," the local chief and visiting their school. It was a small, one-room school with children sharing long tables. The children sang for us and one little boy read a short poem he had written about his town. Roberto translated the French into English for us and I found it very touching. This little boy had written something to the effect that "...sometimes there is much sand in my house and my mother has to sweep it out every day...I love my home of Araouane." There is no place like home for everyone, no matter where you may live.
Araouane children engrossed in a story
What a shame that our grandchildren have so much (never enough to them) and these children are satisfied and happy with a little truck made out a tin cans, pulled on a string in the sand....
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