24 Little Hours

---

"What a difference a day makes... 24 little hours"

For those of you who haven't seen "Run Lola Run", do it.

Anyway:

Reasons I was Tired Yesterday

1. lack of sleep
2. that freaking call to prayer at 430am
3. its hot
4. did i mention its hot?
5. two long bus trips back to back
6. giant backpack
7. lack of sleep

Anyway, I was really ready to call it quits yesterday. Thankfully, my sarcastically mentioned 'genius idea' actually ended up being a pretty good one- no mosquitoes (where would they breed anyway? This is the Sahara desert), no bed bugs, sleeping with the cool breeze under shady palm trees and the stars.

I also ran into two of these German girls that I met in Tunis. We had a nice long rant about Tunisian men, and Silke has consequently come up with the best description of the majority of them you meet:

"You are either a walking purse, or a walking cunt."

Pardon my french. Anyway, it restored a bit of my faith in humanity, seeing those two. Or at least my faith in vagabonding.

I woke up early, puffy eyed and still a little tired. "Oh crap" I thought, thinking that I was off to a bad start.

Next thing I know, I've arranged a trip to the Atlas mountains, and am hurtling off with two other Canadians and two VERY typical Italians (one even worked for Gucci- that's right, ladies, I've now got an 'in') seeing canyons, navigating the THRONGS of tourists, and swimming in desert oasis waterfalls. And the cab driver was a really awesome guy, and gave us a under-the-table incredibly discounted trip to see out into the desert and that which I was really interested in.

Yes, that's right. One of the Star Wars sets.

I geeked out entirely. Fortunately, the Italian guys were in Seventh Heaven with me. It was SO. COOL. Little huts like in the movies- let me tell you, I took about a billion pictures.

SO. COOL.

Anyway, we were booking it through the desert, bouncing over sand dunes to the extent it felt like we were riding a bronco. 45 degrees outside, air conditioned van: I was having a ball.

Then I came back to the camp site, not sure what to do with the rest of my day. Met a fellow traveler- a British guy, and we decided to explore the glorious splashing sounds coming from near the campsite.

We found a stream, and a horde of welcoming children and families. I got clay masked, petted, prodded, and ultimately invited back for tea at a couple of their places.

Even the heat isn't bothering me today. My internal temperature control seems to have given up entirely, and is focusing all its energy on thinking "well, hey, at least there is zero humidity! this is like home!"

Anyway, I'm having the day I exactly needed, especially in light of yesterday.

I was born under a lucky star, I swear.

Anyway, this time tomorrow I will hopefully be on camel-back, riding to spend a night in the desert.

Sigh. Do I have to start school?

Stacey

---