100kms Into A FIERCE DESERT WIND 💨 Or A 46C (115F) Day? 🥵

Day 135. 96km (79616kms 7yrs)
Leaving an hour or so after sunrise, heat wasn’t my immediate problem. Instead, with no obstacles a fierce wind out of the east made for such slow going I barely managed 8km/hr in first gear. It was grim, slow going, with my head down much of the time.
Back in Tozeur I recafinated and resupplied before pressing on east. The wind was still up, but now - mercifully- the road was lined with trees forming a bit of a windbreak. In the last village, whilst taking some photos of a typically Tozeurian brick minaret, a passing motorist took objection. Hilariously he actually asked me “What, do you think you are free?" I’m afraid I laughed out loud; you see ‘free’ is very thing the National Guard have been insisting I absolutely am every time I moan about them following me about. So when the grumpy motorist threatened to call the police I very nearly gave my name and told him to say hi from me.
From here 50km of desert separated me from the next village. In other circumstances I would’ve tackled this the next day, but I was rushing to beat the impending heatwave forecasted to being temperatures up to 47C (117F) arriving the following day. Thank goodness the wind dropped somewhat in the afternoon and though I began flagging in the final 20kms, I cleared the empty stretch with minimal fuss. In fact I was offered a lift (declined) and was twice given water.
At the first village I made inquiries with some friendly women out for a walk, but no hint was taken. Searching for a wild camp, dunes out to a natural spring stank with garbage, kids asking for money followed me about an abandoned hotel, and in the palmeraie I couldn’t find a secret spot without (probably very nice) men drinking tea in the shade. So I returned to the nearby neighbourhood where I’d been greeted warmly in the street. This time my enquiries about a place to camp were met with an immediate invitation to stay in a breezy cool reception room. I was brought icy cold chunks of watermelon, and spicy spaghetti with meat. The women and I chatted a little on the steps in the breeze outside their house before I crashed a little after sunset.
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[@joannaschwerdfeger1438]

Princess Hels, you deserved that nice place

[@helsonwheels]

😆 ha! I’m certain I didn’t, but I was very glad of it 😆

[@joannaschwerdfeger1438]

Easier than Albania crossing

[@helsonwheels]

@joannaschwerdfeger1438 everything I ever do will be easier than the Albania crossing 😆 I hope!!

[@biettabrewer]

The desert heat is definitely not something you want to ignore. I’ve been to Las Vegas when it was 112 Fahrenheit which was way too hot for my liking. Stay cool and safe travels.😊

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you. Yeah I’m taking it seriously, especially hearing the news of all these heat-related deaths of late. Keeping cool 🧊 as best I can

[@sofiane762011]

Life is simple and peaceful 🇹🇳 ❤️👍

[@helsonwheels]

100kms into the desert wind didn’t feel too simple. Or peaceful for that matter 😆 But yes. Now I do feel exactly that way 🙂

[@sofiane762011]

Be careful of sunstroke 🌞 in the desert. Be careful. The desert has a harsh nature

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you. Yeah it’s not my first desert, and I always do my best to be out of the sun before it tips 40C ☀️

[@alialbeiruti786]

Very nice hinnah.😊

[@helsonwheels]

Thank you it’s been getting lots of lovely compliments

[@venessajunga6362]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@helsonwheels]

🌴🇹🇳🌴🇹🇳🌴🇹🇳 thank you

[@alialbeiruti786]

So the ladies treated you to hinnah.

[@helsonwheels]

We went together to get henna, and I think the black one on the fingers is called mehndi

[@MurielZaccuri]

You paid for the tail wind in saudi 😂

[@helsonwheels]

Ha! I’ve not even been so unlucky here, I’ve had some pretty nice Tunisian tailwinds too 😆