We begin Day 25 of our trip, which becomes the time my digestive system officially files a formal complaint. Days filled with another heroic breakfast followed by a substantial lunch. Then, because restraint seems apparently forbidden—an even larger dinner.
Few hotel rooms provide a hot water pot. Offerings unfailingly comes as a lineup of teas. None of which answer my increasingly desperate call for coffee. As a committed tea-avoider, I find myself longing for something a little less… teaish. I genuinely enjoy the food but at this point my stomach and I negotiate terms.
The M’Zab Valley is a striking and historically significant region, a UNESCO World Heritage site recognized for its unique combination of geography, architecture, and social organization. There consists a series of five towns, or ksour, in the oasis—Ghardaïa, Béni Isguen, Melika, Bou Noura, and El Atteuf. The valley is also famous for its palm groves, date production, and ingenious water management systems, including foggaras.
