El Oued - Biskra - Algiers

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This morning we went for a walk through the date groves, plucking off fresh dates and eating them. Then it was time to pack up to catch the bus to El Oued, but the bus was delayed two hours, so we went and had lunch, but the restaurant was dirty and full of flies.

The bus trip was only an hour and we passed more scenery of sand dunes, date groves and mud hut villages.

At El Oued, we went to our hotel "Hotel Souf" which was a beautiful building of arches and rooms all around a swimming pool and carefully tended gardens. We had a really nice dinner in the restaurant and they made such a delicious creme caramel that I had two portions.

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21st November

Today we went to Biskra and swam in the lovely warm thermal pools there.

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22nd November

We have decided to hitch hike our way back to Algiers via Bou Saada and Blida, and we didn't realise how easy and pleasant it was going to be. No sooner had we stuck out our thumbs, when about 8 cars would stop and argue over us. Our drivers even treated us to drinks and lunch in restaurants and gave us dates.

Bou Saada is a village in a valley surrounded by date palms. Then we went for a walk just on sunset and watched a herd of goats come through the village, each goat going into its own house and the herd thinning out as the owners claimed them along the way. If the door didn't open, the goat would stand there bleating until it did. A little shepherd boy was carrying a newly born kid and we stopped to pat it.

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23rd November

We had a nice breakfast of fresh bread, jam, butter and perculated coffee, and spent the day walking and getting invited for cups of tea by locals.

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24th November

After breakfast we set out to hitchhike to Blida in Algiers (Kamel's house). We were picked up by some Algerians who was studying in the UK at an english university and he spoke perfect English. This was the first time I have spoken English in months and it felt strange. We all stopped at a restaurant and they bought us drinks and we all talked together for 2 hours about politics, religion and women. They begged us to come and stay with them but we declined and exchanged addresses instead. Then we went to Kamel's and rang the doorbell ... but we found noone was home! So, there we were hungry, tired and busting for the toilet! So, we decided to walk to Claudine's and in no time we were there. Claudine and her husband prepared a wonderful meal, then we relaxed watching the TV.

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25th November

We were invited for dinner at another friend of Habib's house. Only five courses this time!

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Comments

[sarah]

this travelblog is fantastic