After the tour , we ask whether they can recommend a hotel . When Nader translates our question for Hakeem , he shakes his head and says something in Arabic . Nader translates : “ You are invited to my house as my guests !” They think it will be safer for us , for the motorbikes and also much more comfortable . The Libyan hospitality does not stop ! We accept his kind offer and follow the men to a house just outside the city . Hakeem opens the gate to a lovely garden , with beautiful flowers , fruit trees and a small fountain … very different from the dust and sand in the desert around us . Hakeem has another house is the city where he lives with his family during the week , but on the weekends , they come here . He turns out to be an exceptionally welcoming host . Because he knew we were coming to Ajdabiya , he had taken his wife and children to his family in Benghazi , a city 200 km from here , so he could receive us and show us the city . When we are done unpacking , he invites us to the living room where he has filled the table with delicious food and drinks .
In the afternoon , the men take us to the city . We visit some old Roman sites , a big square and join them for dinner at a local restaurant . After the delicious meal , for which we are not allowed to pay ourselves , we ask where we can do some shopping . We need to prepare for the next day , when we aim to ride through the desert towards the Egyptian border . It will be a 400 km stretch without any towns , which means there is no food , water or fuel along the way . We find a supermarket and look for bread . Hakeem and Nader have joined us . They look disapproving at the loaves of bread and convince us to buy fresh bread in the morning . When we are back in the car with Hakeem , he drives about 500 metres and gets out . A few minutes later he comes back with a bag full of bread ! A bit further he buys bottles of water and after that he goes to a hardware store to inquire after jerry cans . We suddenly realise that he is doing our shopping for us ! We feel a bit awkward , because when we asked them to take us to a shop , we never meant for them to buy us everything we need . We want to pay for it , but Hakeem refuses to take our money . Peter cannot make him change his mind .