I left my spleen in the Sahara

How about a few stories from my Grand Saharan Adventure.

1.)  I had food poisoning the first night.  I was throwing up so violently that I'm pretty sure my spleen came up along with everything I have ever eaten in my entire lifetime.  I laid shivering and sobbing on my bed, praying that I wouldn't die alone in a purported 4 star hotel (My eye!  I've been in Motel 6's in Nevada that were in better condition) in the desert.  It is safe to say that it was the worst night of my life.  And yet, the trip was so rad that I sometimes forget I even rested my head on the toilet seat and wept.

2.)  We had a guide, Niela, and a driver, Hamsa.  Both Tunisians.  And both awesome.  Hamsa didn't speak any English but you could tell right off the bat the guy was a comedian.  Everything he said was in Tunisian and yet he had us rolling the entire 3 days.  He instigated an impromptu party the second night that involved singing and dancing until 1 in the morning.

3.)  We went to a mountain oasis and hiked through the ruins of a village that was destroyed in a flash flood back in the 70s.  Our guide, Ali, asked me to tell all my American girl friends that he's available if you would like to move to Tunisia.

4.)  These signs are everywhere in the desert.  And we did, in fact, see many free range camels.

5.)  We went off-roading in a 4x4 and ended at the Star Wars set for Tatooine (Nerds of the World:  Envy me!)  There were several French folks there dressed in rebel attire.  I wanted to give them all hugs.  I opted instead to gawk and take pictures.

6.)  We drove across a dried salt lake, which wasn't dry because it had actually rained a few days before so there was about a half inch of water on top.  It rains about 3 times a year down there.  This picture does not do justice to how gorgeous and surreal it was.

7.)  Did you know that birds freak me out?  Anything that could potentially peck my eyes out or get entangled in my hair or poop on me is something to be avoided.  But we stopped at some shop at the edge of the desert at sunset on the second night and the shop owner had a trained falcon who was being passed around from arm to arm and I thought, oh why not.  His name is George.  He did not poop on me.  (I look like death in this picture.  No, death's ugly sister.  I lost my spleen, people!) 

8.  On day three we stopped at a traditional berber home that was dug into the side of a hill.  This woman made us tea and bread and showed us the sheep she is planning on slaughtering for the upcoming Islamic holiday.

9.  Our last stop was to a henna market.  This guy asked me what it would take for me to stay in town and marry him.  I said 300 camels.  He said it was a deal.  Not too shabby for someone who looks like she escaped from the Home for the Sad ,Tragic and Spleen-less.