08 Back to civilization // Further westward to Margredeth

Back to civilization // Further westward to Margredeth We reached Ubari after we drove a half day on very busy sand tracks. After fueling our vehicles, we refreshed ourselves at a nearby restaurant. Kebab, a thin, long, skinless, spicy, grilled sausage with rice and French fries was on our menu, it was a delicious and welcome change to the usually in the desert made "canned food". The relation between diesel and food prices is serious, at least for us Europeans. 60 liters diesel cost about 9 dinar, the 10 cheapest meals with soft drinks 80 dinars!! After all the fun and pleasure while off-roading in the dunes, the paved road to the west was rather dull and boring. In the evening we camped a few miles north of the road surrounded by oil wells. The oil well torches around us clearly show the wealth of the country or the regime. The next morning, after 170 km on paved road through Al Awaynat and another 70 km on washboard roads we reached the area of Magredeth N25°48.253' - E9°57.356'. A site with thousands of stalactite shaped sandstone formations. With a little imagination you can see various figures and faces in the interesting rock formations. Each perspective provides a new figure. Between the rock columns everybody found a favorite place to sleep. The sunrise was again picturesque. On the way back to Al Awaynat, we chose to bypass the washboard tracks on the southern route, which also offered us the sight of a more varied landscape. Once in the town went shopping. After that we had lunch at a relative of the Ayssa. The crispy and juicy grilled chicken, spotted by the entrance, were eaten. Some traders took care about our companioning woman, offering them their goods. With full bellies and tanks we went on.