Ksar crazy in the Sahara

  Sahara, Tunisia
Thursday, December 1, 2005

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28 Nov, Monday
Start point: Douz
End point: 5Km north of Bir Soltane (it a well, not a village)
Via: The pipeline road
Odom(Km): 96.26
Moving(hrs.mim): 7.07
Ave(Km/h): 13.5
Total Ascent(m): 403
Max Altitude(m) 214
Max Speed(Km/h): 27.9

Now is the time to venture into a very sparsely populated area. After leaving Douz, I expected to pass through a few villages on the road to Matmata - but there is nothing, just scorched earth like the Mars Lander photographed. There is a handful of cafes scattered at distant intervals and when I neared my turnoff of the pipeline road I stopped by for directions and water. I have 4 maps and they are all different. Loaded with 7 litres of water I heading down the pipeline road, called so because it is a service road the oil pipe that runs parallel underground. On the right hand side, although it seemed all around me is the vast emptiness of the Sahara desert, red earth and stones on the ground. It was a pattern to be repeated for most of the day.
The road is not really suitable for a tour bike, and not one I would recommend to others. Its bumpy, soft and very hard going. With considerable effort I managed to sustain 9Km/h and aimed to get to a water well 23 Km from the start of the road. I didn't make it and instead camped up 5Km short with tired and aching legs... Yes it was that hard! Its probably a good thing camping here as there is nobody around - I guess next to the well is a cafe gift shop where I would be pestered all night to buy a souvenir.
Today I stopped and listened; nothing. No wind, no cars, no birdsong, no insects. Nothing. Silence. You hearing goes hypersensitive with the brain trying to pick out any identifiable sound, but it can't. It was a this point I decided silence was not for me so I plugged myself into my MP3 player and peddled to the beat.


Swiss couple and their camper 4 X 4 - Look at the morning head poking out the flap


Douz, Off to school we go..


The road from Douz has nothing except sand and crazy cyclists


Get used to the view


The start of the pipeline road


Desert cqmping


and another of those sunsets you only get in the desert




In the tent and Knackerd

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29 Nov, Tuesday
Start point: 5Km north of Bir Soltane (its a well, not a village)
End point: Kasr Hallouf
Via: Bir Soltane
Odom(Km): 52.48
Moving(hrs.mim): 6.13
Ave(Km/h): 8.4
Total Ascent(m): 449
Max Altitude(m) 453
Max Speed(Km/h): 27.9

Started down the last 5Km of the pipeline road - walked most of it as it was too sandy. Decided it would not be a good idea to continue to Ksar Ghilane and instead turned towards Beni Kaddach. 8Km of more hard work the road returned to normal. I flew into Ksar Hallouf, a Ksar - or hill top village that was established in 1200 and deserted in 1940. The houses are like nothing I have seen before - narrow, small and on two floors. A local family owns a guesthouse in one of the restored houses and I decided to rest here for the night. The young man in charge, Jalel, took me on a guided tour of the near by village. After we sat down with his sister and her husband for a tasty meal of couscous and chicken. It was a pleasant evening in good company, and yet more practice of my French.




If you are thinking of cycling the pipeline road, then this is what you are in for!


Still, not long before I made it to a deserted village, Ksar Hallouf.








My room for the night




Food for the night

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30 Nov, Wednesday
Start point: Ksar Hallouf
End point: Ksar Hadada
Via: Bir Soltane, Ksar Joumaa, Ksar Hadada
Odom(Km): 52.68
Moving(hrs.mim): 4.25
Ave(Km/h): 11.9
Total Ascent(m): 940
Max Altitude(m) 612
Max Speed(Km/h): 43.3

I didn't expect that, blustery wintry showers all night and drizzle all day. Motivation to continue was lacking in the morning and I emerged from my room ready to go at 8.00am. Jalel tried to persuade me to stay, but as always is the case as soon as I decide to stay, the sun burns away all the clouds away. So in the interests of progress I decided to continue. First stop was Ksar Joumaa, a very similar town perched on a hill. The grain store on this particular ksar was in a fortified courtyard with thick walls. Established in the 1200s and deserted in the early 1960s again, most people preferring to live with gardens, piped water, and satellite TV down below. The threat of invasion by maraudering tribes has somewhat diminished the need to live in a cramped fortified settlement. It too had rooms to rent, but somehow lacked the character of Ksar Hallouf - and the welcoming owners.
The landscape becomes quite out of this world - emphasised by two huge dinosaurs perched on one of the hills. The terrain resembles Arizona on a smaller scale with eroded hills and red landscape as far as the eye can see.
After I passed through Beni Kaddache my next destination was Ksatr Hadada. Rather than being on a hill tops, this habitation is protected by a wall. The main town is now outside the wall. I did my usual tour around. Some of the dwellings have been occupied until very recently. There is also a program to convert 30 of the dwellings into hotel rooms - rather then just empty shells. A few lads emerged covered in plaster dust and carrying sledge hammers - it looked more like demolition than conversion! The site has the strong claim to fame that it was used in the filming of Starwars, a new hope - the first to be released (according to my guide book) and for the setting of Mos Espa on the planet Tatooine in the Phantom menace (according to the sign).
After my visit I stood dripping in the gateway contemplating my next destination and soon got talking to the security guard. "You want to stay here?" With 2 hours of light left and an unknown number of hours of drizzle I agreed. When asked how much, he responded with "pay what you want to pay". As its Identical to Ksar Hallouf where I stayed last night I suggested the same price was appropriate - 10 Dinars, or 4 pounds. Another night in a traditional home with all the comforts of a place 800 years old. Luckily my camping kit includes a central heating system and water supply. Good job I did stay as the rain continued throughout the night. Camping wild here is impossible now as the ground has turned into a clay like mud that sticks to the soles of you shoes making them heavier and heavier every step you take!


Typical village of the region


Ksar Joumaa




Same style, different village; Ksar Hadada








Typical insides

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01 Dec, Thursday
Start point: Ksar Hadada
End point: Tattouine
Via: Tattouine
Odom(Km): 43.05
Moving(hrs.mim): 2.24
Ave(Km/h): 17.8
Total Ascent(m): 244
Max Altitude(m) 387
Max Speed(Km/h): 45.9

There houses may lack many things, but water proofing is not one of them. For a place with no damp course or modern materials it is bone dry inside, despite the continuous rain I was experiencing. The door is made from palm planks and provides a good protection from the elements. Another good night sleep. In the morning I peared out my little dwelling to see only fog. As it was not raining I carried on. I soon started raining quite heavily so I headed to the nearest big town, Tatouine and booked into a hotel with a hot shower!
Toured the town on foot and picked up some culinary delights on my way. Washed kit, odd jobs and a much needed shower.


Town of Tattouine




They sell deep fried doughnuts - Im in heaven.