19/6/92
I look across from my viewpoint which is 300 meters above the desert plain that stretches as far as the eye can see for 180 degrees, behind for the other 180 degrees are the rugged mountains, that like the desert, also have little vegetation, though where the two meet there is the date palm oasis and consequently, village setting where the cocks crow the goats roam the street whilst the dogs take control until the children move from their vantage points to project a silence into the air that never seems to last longer than it does for the fly to find that next bead of sweat that floats across the mothers brow as she sweeps the lounge/bedroom/kitchen/floor for the seventh time for this day. the cafe is quiet. The 4Wd's from the distant cities that arrive regularly with Germans, and have departed the scene, coke and cards are sold a plenty and eventually a child well sell one of his quartz formations to a charming lady who will inform the neighbours of it's origin and geological background in a proud fashion just prior to the second video is placed in the recorder to establish that fact that "we went there", and do you know that, whilst the cafe closes for the day the men wander down the street to their respective families to live life as per normal in this village of ....
Here I sit
Up on top
Of the rock
Overlooking
Desert plain
Date palm
Village Scene
As the cock crows
Into the Southerly breeze
The sun seeps down.
There wanders a man
I will presume
Across the dirt
To where I wonder
As he straddles the dry bed
The dog yelps
Help
I'm hurting
Onward he goes
Unbeknown
That I can hear
See
Just like he
As the birds sing
Whilst the fly flies
The children chat
Within this hour
On the rock above the desert plain.
I her sit on the periphery of the Sahara Desert, there is no vegetation within reach, let alone spiting distance, though I can make out shapes that seems to resemble palm tops, in the North, just prior to the lights of Nefta. The moon shines as brightly as the sun will allow, taking into account the earths haze and the constant desert dirt, though this is at a minimum due to the fact that at 10.15pm the breeze is basically nonexistent. The noises are controlled by the dogs. There always seems to be something, and now it's a mosquito circulating the sweat that oozes out of the pores and the surrounds of my hair follicles.
It is nice to be on the plain, to see in front, though there is nothing, absolutely nothing, not one undulation and not one light, in front, so now, at this stage of the game those dogs must disappear, and then it's Nefta's turn.
I walked on till 11pm where the noise was still, on the odd occasion, audible, be it the dogs or the drums, that heralded the journey on it's way. After a time of contemplation it was decided to enjoy this moment of bright sky, solid horizon, and nothingness.
Then the winds arose, and blew all noise away. In fact they blew every thing away, including myself after an hours attempt to fall asleep it was decided that to sit, lye, or hibernate for five hours was not as preferable as the two hour walk back to a bed and sleep.
The walk back was hard work as the ground underfoot was now soft and muddy.
Do all salt lakes turn soft on the cold evening breeze, prior to hardening up again during the sun absorbing day?
KNOW for future
take ground sheet & sheet
- wind cover
- ground cover
beware of elements
NB notes should be written whilst on the journey - relevance of the position at the precise time. Recollection is fine but details are glossed over (good for one account/point)
It seems slightly absurd, whilst lying down to rest, that I'm positioned in a town where no one speaks more than Hello Coke and the language of Dinar whilst the sun is setting be there no hotels and no shops. Sure I have water sardines oranges nuts and other bits, but there is doubt on the roads, as the roads are empty, apart from the car that is now heading in the wrong direction, so my time spent in this town could be for some period of time, that some being unknown, just like the question as to whether I travel further this evening or am happy to hit the dirt here.
Time will tell.
Arvo.