TRAVERSE 31
altitude rocky surfaces where making a riding mistake can transform your adventure from best to worst . The dry plains where only a few palm trees survive , the poetic oases somehow existing in the middle of what appears on the surface to be vast nothingness . And obviously , the sandy desert areas where resources are few and the temperature difference between day and night is imposing . Those three different terrains do , however , have a significant commonality ; wherever life is harsh , and people live only with the essentials , the solidarity and the resolve of the locals is astonishing . I knew before reaching this continent that North African inhabitants were known for their sense of welcoming , a sensibility sculpted running deep within their blood and bones . But I never expected it to be so profound . I can ' t count the number of times where locals invited me to share tea with some bread , how many times I high-fived laughing children on the side of the road or waved at a perfect stranger waving at me whilst I ride by . There was no resentment towards the tourist , the foreigner , and no attempt to harass me for money or handouts . A proud people who welcomed me with their smiling eyes .
Once , in Imilchil , I spent a welldeserved rest in a hostel after riding the Circus of Jaafar . The owner , a 70-year-old lady living a simple life , even asked me if I had enough money to continue my trip . If not , she would have been willing to refund me the cost of the night to pursue my adventure . I obviously refused but that gesture touched my heart . I did , however , gladly accept the tajine she prepared for me to eat later that day !
Another day , as I stopped to buy some simple groceries in a tiny village , a man asked me to share lunch with his family . He didn ' t say
TRAVERSE 31