<< Previous Next >>

Lunch break in the desert


Lunch break in the desert
Photo Information
Copyright: Gert Holmertz (holmertz) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 596 W: 54 N: 589] (3460)
Genre: People
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 1981-12
Categories: Daily Life, Food, Transportation
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-01-10 1:30
Viewed: 839
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The kettle is on the fire and the junior assistant is preparing lunch. On the journey across the Sahara the driver has found a steep rock that provides shade for a pleasant break.
I found this truck heading for Nigeria by asking around in Tamanrasset in southern Algeria. Before setting out I stocked up on canned food, mineral water and dates which I washed carefully in chlorinated water. On the first day of the trip I ate my corned beef and sardines while the crew had their meals separately. On the second day the junior assistant stepped on my bottles of mineral water and I had to use the water stored in a sack made of goat hides. On the second day also, the driver asked me to join the crew for the meals. From then on I had my daily stews and cous cous and fresh bread straight from the oven - in the hot sand.
During the nights I slept on top of the truck, which was loaded with bags of dates and other stuff. It was so ice cold that I almost thought I would freeze to death, although I was fully dressed in my sleeping bag. During the days I had to protect myself the best I could from the burning sun. Finally arriving in Agadez in northern Niger I had great problems getting clean after spending close to four days with the sand whirling around me.
I was surprised to find that there was quite a lot of traffic crossing the desert. We were rarely all alone. One night, in no man's land between the border posts, several trucks stopped at the same place, parking in a circle like in the Wild West, all the crews and their passengers having dinner by burning fires inside the circle.
This photo is scanned from a Kodachrome slide.
sayeed_rahman, molla, saxo042 has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekEarth members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekEarth members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To saxo042: hejholmertz 1 01-10 09:43
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hey Gert

A state of activity caught on camera is always a descriptive compo which catched the eye..informative and interesting narrative to back it with..

Very remote areas where it is difficult to build up a fire..locals use ground heat to prepare food..lucky you were part of the expedition..can run into a few survival strategies too :)

Cheers
SAyeed

Hej Gert,
High documentary value in both the photo and the note. It must have been a very interesting trip across the desert. Was it the yellow truck in the background you travelled with?
Hälsningar
Gunnar

  • Great 
  • molla Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 564 W: 78 N: 616] (4395)
  • [2008-01-11 5:16]

Hej Gert
First of all a very good note. it really gives a scene behind the photo, and makes us look more carefully on the image it self. Wonder how much things have changed in those soon thirty years.
hälsar

Anders

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF