Day 49-60, December 23rd-January 3rd
He remembers Nowak.
At the end of the Libyan lap, the cyclists meet a man who …met Kazimierz Nowak. The travellers are heading Egypt, where the second part of their trip will end.
A small bush of acacia changes into the Christmas tree. There are some fruit, roots of ginger, a small bell, balls made of desert watermelons and cans’ covers are there too.
Poles gather around the fire place, singing “Silent Night”. This Christmas Eve night on the desert is silent indeed. Even the wind has calmed down.
Next day, on Christmas, everyone suffers from the difficulties of travelling across the Sahara. The sandy route winds by turns with rocky hummocks. Sometimes there is no help for it – it is necessary to alight from the bikes and push it for many kilometres.
Tortures for muscles are made up for the treat for eyes. Even the best pictures are not able to show the impressions that you get while being by yourself with this sand, rocks, stones, with those colours, sky and space.
Can those resources be named a desert? – Dominik wonders.
A variety of desert seems to be boundless. The only things to be missing are human beings. Cyclists roughly wander for the last 8 kilometres of sandy road. Further, to Zellah, there is asphalt.
In town, Ania gets a chance to visit the women while they prepare a meal. It is a windfall, as in Libya women do not attend the meetings with guests, they are not introduced to them – as if they do not exist.
In Zellah there is another surprise waiting for the Poles. They find a man who remembers Nowak. His name is Salah Ali Badran. He was six when he saw the Polish cyclist. He looks at the book cover with Kazimierz picture; he ponders and then shouts.
Yes, that’s him- then he starts to tell with feeling about the strange Pole’s visit which took place nearly 80 years ago.
He for sure remembers that Nowak came to Zellah from Fezzan; that he was lost in Al Haruj al Aswad and that he came here almost exhausted; all the people in oasis couldn’t believe, how this man – completely alone, without camels and caravan – had came here surprising everyone with his two wheel vehicle. It wouldn’t cross Salah mind that he could hear about Nowak further lots.
Maradah, the place where Nowak came tired of desert, is still to reach. From there, he wanted to go across the Sahara to Gialo; however the Italians made him change his plans and forced him to travel through the capital city of Cyrenayca, along the cost.
- The best time to go on Sahara is winter, between November and January. Before that, there are unbearable heats; during the spring – sandy storms. According to the Sahara culture it is a bad form to travel wearing shorts – that is why it is good to have long, light trousers – Dominik explains.
After weeks spent on the desert, the Poles admire the seaside, breathing with fresh air. New Year Eve is celebrated with Libyan scouts in Bengazi, the old capital city of Cyrenayca. Thanks to the scouts’ help, they give an exhaustive interview to the Quryna daily newspaper. After that, the Poles rush to the rich green chain of Jebel Al-Akhdar mountains.
W odpowiedzi na komentarz z Libii – dziękujemy za tą uwagę i poprawiamy: Pan Saleh Ali Badran, a nie Salah Ali Badran.
شكلاكم علي الاستطلاع المقدمه الجميله نرجو منكم تزويدنا بصور اكتر عن زله >تصحيح اسم صالح علي بدران> بدل صلاح) ……. اشكركم