"Sachara and her world" sachara's Profile

The beauty of the desert....
The picture of me in Tin Merzouga is made by Caroline Klaassen.

Tin Merzouga in south-east Algeria near the Libyan border has amazing sanddunes. We stayed here for 2 nights, so I had enough time to climb the dunes. I did not reach the top. After every edge were new and higher tops. It was marvellous to be there for hours with only the blue sky and the fascinating empty landscape around. It gave me the feeling to be in connection with myself and the cosmos.

Read the story of Mohamed Alher
In summer 2010 his bag was stolen with all the jewellery of the 27 artisans of his village close to Timbuktu. It happened in the Thalys from Paris to Rotterdam on his way to the Full Colour Festival in my hometown. He and his village have severe problems with the loss of the source of income of the village. This proud Tuareg people who try to build their village 'with trade instead of aid' will be very grateful to get also aid at the moment.

Africa map at the wall of a school in Turmi (ET)

I travelled in 4 continents. My favourite is Africa ! It is under my skin since my first visit or maybe even longer. Some VT-ers think I am originally from Africa. I am not and don't ask me why I don't start to live there yet. Meanwhile I visited Africa 37 times and 32 countries.

2004 was the best Africa year ever. I travelled 3 months from west to east, visiting Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya & Tanzania. And I did my first transsahara trip, coming from Gambia, Senegal and Mali, crossing the Sahara in central Mauritania, Western Sahara & Morocco.

2005 was an European & Asian travel year. I visited Madeira, Italy, England, France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Thailand & Cambodia.

In 2006 4 continents: Europe (Poland, Madeira, Spain, Scotland, Denmark), Africa (Libya), Asia (China & Hong Kong) & Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras & Belize).

In 2007 Africa: Morocco & Egypt for the 8th time, Madagascar & Mauritius. In Europe: England, Germany, Belgium & Greece.

In 2008 Africa (Morocco), Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazachstan, Kyrgystan, China & Iran) & Europe (Madeira, Germany, Austria & Ireland).

In 2009 I started with the Tuareg Festival au Desert in Essakane, north of Timbuktu in Mali and later in the year I visited Marrakech. In Europe I visited Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Germany. And after many years I came back in Istanbul.

From African astrology:
The traveller (4 sep- 3 oct)
If born under the sign of the traveller, you are endowned with a wanderlust which makes you always want to see what is over the next hill. The traveller has a duality of character, feeling sadness at departure and a certain joy in the anticipation of the arrival at the destination. The traveller must rely on intuition and common sense on the journey in life.

Many pages are under construction

Having a new computer with more storage capacity, I started to scan older travel pictures. I uploaded the first pics of Romania, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Brazil, Nicaragua and Curacao.

I travel more than I can write tips. So I try to share some pictures of recent trips in the intro and in the travelogues.
Europe:
Ukraine
Asia:
Kyrgystan
Kazachstan
Uzbekistan
Iran: Shiraz, Esfahan, Yazd
China: solar eclipse in Xinjiang province, Kashgar, Turpan

My last finished travelpages (including tips)

Africa:
Libya: Benghazi (februari 2010)
Mali: Timbuktu, Essakane, Festival au Desert (february 2009)
Asia:
Turkmenistan (november 2008): Ashgabat (august 2008)

Bargerveen, nature reserve

Emmen is a modern municipality with industrial and horticultural areas. Emmen is situated in the north east of the Netherlands near the German border. Emmen has 110.000 inhabitants. Within the borders of Emmen is a lot of open and green space. Near the German border is a large nature reserve the Bargerveen (veen = moor). For information about the aera www.moorismeer.nl
I live in the centre of the city Emmen in one of the last historical districts. www.oudallee.nl For more information about my home-town, you can visit my Emmen page, the website of the municipality www.emmen.nl or read the brochure eMMen Makes More possible.

street act at the CestlaVie Festival in july

In spring and summer there are a lot of activities in the citycentre of Emmen. For example the last friday in May is the Jazz & Blues Night, in July is the CestlaVie Festival and the last sunday in August is the Full Colour Festival. This last one is my favourite.

Annabel at her 40th birthday (20 may 2006)

Emmen is known because of its zoo. It's one of the most beautifull zoo's in Europe.The zoo is just behind our backyard. From the first floor of our house we can have a look at the African savannah with giraffes, zebras, rhinos, impalas and wildebeasts. For more information see my travelogue Noorderdierenpark or www.noorderdierenpark.nl

Sunday 1 march 2009 Annabel, the mother of the elephant herd, fell down in the dry ditch around the elephant island. It happened after she was hit by two playing younger elephants. For many hours they tried to rescue her, but without any succes. Back on the island she could not stand on her legs anymore. It turned out she was paralysed by a broken certebra of her neck. It was heartbreaking. Unfortulately it was her time to die.

She lived in the zoo behind my backyard for 40 years. She was the mother of the herd. Pictures in the traveloque are of her birthday in 2006.

Amy

In the zoo nextdoor we have big wild cats as neighbours (tigers, panthers and servals). In our own home and garden we have our own ''wild'' cats of a smaller size. The cats are used to the heavy roaring of their big sisters in the zoo.

Djur(djura)

This is our second cat, which was behaving more like a dog. She walked always together with me, especially outdoors.

At the 4th of august 2007 she died, only 8 years young....
Special about her was that she was always talking during the day. Her bright blue eyes looked straight into my eyes and she layed on my mouse when I was too long at VT.

Boelman

Since April 2004 we have a huge male cat, called Bushman. In the first year his former family missed him and wanted him back, so he left us for 2 weeks. But they find out, that our home and garden was a better place for him. So he came back and enjoys the garden.