Visiting the nomads
When you join us on a desert trip to the big dunes, we will pass by the camp of an old nomadic family. They are dear friends of Said, still living deep in the Sahara Desert. If they are at the camp, we will have a short break here to drink a glass of delicious, bittersweet Saharan tea together with Bali, the oldest member of the nomad family, and with his wife Fatima. When we visit them we bring them bread, salt, wheat or meat as the nearest village is still far. Bali is a man who carries great wisdom and a long history with him, he is around the age of 100 and has been moving in the desert all his life from place to place.
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Today, Bali still lives with his two wives and several of his children in tents, deep inside the dry desert. They live very remote with some goats, a donkey and chicken. To feed the animals, the women often walk long distances with their goats, searching for bushes or small trees. To get to the nearest water source is at least a 5 km walk. Several wells have been placed in the desert but have started to run dry.
During the desert trip, we will do our best to visit Bali's family's nomad camp. Because the nomads are moving a lot, it depends every time whether we find them at home or not. If any of the family members are present, we will stop for a break at their camp. The family is happy to drink a delicious cup of strong, sweet tea with us, and sometimes offer fresh, home-made bread or even freshly milked goat's milk. The tea is prepared in a traditional Saharan way, including locally grown sheba herbs.
This nomadic family depends, among other things, on donations from friends and some tourists. When an old friend comes to visit every now and then, or when a local guide comes across Bali and his family together with some tourists, he can receive donations or food brought from one of the villages at the edge of the desert. If you wish, you are welcome to tip the family.
