DREAMING IN THE SAHARA: Road Junky’s Retreat

Stars, meditation and dunes: Tom Thumb's annual desert pilgrimage

6 Apr 2013

The desert winds blowing over the Road Junky canopy on the first day...
The desert winds blowing over the Road Junky canopy on the first day…

 

 

As-salam alaykum! For the fourth instalment of his desert adventures, founder of Road Junky, writer, nomad and Third Eye friend TOM THUMB returned to the Sahara desert. In an intimate group of 20 souls from around the world, the journey through Morocco led to the small village of Hassi Labied, in Erg Chebbi, near Merzouga in southeastern Morocco, before joining the Road Junky canopy in the desert dunes. Over a week, the Road Junky Retreat forms an ephemeral community in the desert, with storytelling, music, meditation and Moroccan cuisine under the desert skies. This year workshops of meditation and aikido were led by Durward Burrell, Dance Expression by Giusi Tavilli, and music by Tom Thumb and David Spivack.

If only we could melt into the desert skies…!

 

The next edition of Road Junky Sahara Retreat will be from 12 – 18 January 2014. Click here to find out more. 

And visit Tom’s alternative online travel community: www.roadjunky.com. To read about Tom Thumb in the latest issue of The Third Eye’s magazine, click here. 

With many thanks to Fabrice for sharing his beautiful photographs…

 

Photography by Fabrice Knecht

 

 

On the road towards Hassi Labied near Merzouga.
On the road towards Hassi Labied near Merzouga.
THE BEST LOCATION FOR AN ART GALLERY: THE DESERT. On the way from Marrakesh to Merzouga/Hassi Labied!
THE BEST LOCATION FOR AN ART GALLERY: THE DESERT. On the way from Marrakesh to Merzouga/Hassi Labied!
On the way into the desert.
On the way into the desert.
The path into the desert.
The path into the desert.
Scarabee Friend in the desert...Ancient symbol of Resurrection.
Scarabee Friend in the desert…Ancient symbol of Resurrection.
The expanse of dunes welcoming us in.
The expanse of dunes welcoming us in.
The Dunes with the stars revealing themselves just before moonrise.
The Dunes with the stars revealing themselves just before moonrise.
Desert home: Fabrice Knecht's bed during the week.
Desert home: Fabrice Knecht’s bed during the week.
Breakfast in the Road Junky camp. Turbans forever!
Breakfast in the Road Junky camp. Turbans forever!
Road Junky Lunch spot in the Dunes. Nothing else...
Road Junky Lunch spot in the Dunes. Nothing else…
This picture was taken nearly at the top of the highest dune. Note the mirroring of the air, the sky floats down between the two Dunes.
This picture was taken nearly at the top of the highest dune. Note the mirroring of the air, the sky floats down between the two Dunes.
Home in the desert: The Road Junky camel-haired canopy.
Home in the desert: The Road Junky camel-haired canopy.
The kitchen. Moroccan soup for lunch and tagine for dinner!
The kitchen. Moroccan soup for lunch and tagine for dinner!
Returning to the camp after sunset meditation.
Returning to the camp after sunset meditation.
Late afternoon in the desert...Shadows in the Dunes...
Late afternoon in the desert…Shadows in the Dunes…
A view over the Sahara towards the end of the day, with the Road Junky retreat nestled in the dunes.
A view over the Sahara towards the end of the day, with the Road Junky retreat nestled in the dunes.
Riding camels through the dunes in the late afternoon.
Riding camels through the dunes in the late afternoon.
The vast desert...with Fabrice Knecht on a high dune.
The vast desert…with Fabrice Knecht on a high dune.
Sunset over the Sahara.
Sunset over the Sahara.
Sahel colours in the spiralling Dunes at sunset.
Sahel colours in the spiralling Dunes at sunset.
The endless desert at sunset.
The endless desert at sunset.
The Sahara at sunset.
The Sahara at sunset.
Nomad dreams in the desert...
Nomad dreams in the desert…
Dunes at sunset.
Dunes at sunset.
Moonrise at night in the desert, in the left foreground of the camp.
Moonrise at night in the desert, in the left foreground of the camp.
The desert welcoming in its mistress Moon.
The desert welcoming in its mistress Moon.
The Road Junky fire at night in the desert.
The Road Junky fire at night in the desert.
The desert night sky.
The desert night sky.
Star-filled meditations at night in the Sahara.
Star-filled meditations at night in the Sahara.
Love story with the moon in the Sahara.
Love story with the moon in the Sahara.
Star-filled skies embracing the Sahara... INTO INFINITY!
Star-filled skies embracing the Sahara… INTO INFINITY!

 

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