Oudane

4 november 2022

This morning I took the local minibus to Atar at 08:00 from the road junction. Again the scenery on the journey was incredible.

In Atar, I was shown the office for the transport to Oudane and booked a ticket for the 14:00 local pickup. With 5 hours to kill in Atar, I found a lovely cafe to drink tea in, walked around the extensive market to discover what was being traded and found a small museum with a fascinating collection of objects and memorabilia.

Travelling teaches you to find ways to fill time; to meet people, to discover things new and to be incredibly patient. You cannot rush anyone in these situations.

I eventually got in the relevant pickup and squeezed next to three ladies. We set off along the side of the gorge out of Atar and crossed the desert heading north east. We had the usual stops for prayers and food.

I was eventually dropped off at Auberge Vasque owned by Zaida - the room cost 1000Rp with dinner costing 250Rp and breakfast 150Rp. I spent the evening in the company of a intercultural arts group and a couple I'd met early on my travels. Zaida greeted us all and stayed amongst us all evening. A remarkable host with an inspiring life story.