here the salt mine has been working since the 11th century in Tao tini the
since the 11th century in Tao tini the
since the 11th century in Tao tini the landscape changes with the day a
landscape changes with the day a
landscape changes with the day a pockmark landscape of tailings from the
pockmark landscape of tailings from the
pockmark landscape of tailings from the hand dug pits where the salt is mine the
hand dug pits where the salt is mine the
hand dug pits where the salt is mine the abrasive sand grinds away slowly on the
abrasive sand grinds away slowly on the
abrasive sand grinds away slowly on the bodies of the men who continue to work
bodies of the men who continue to work
bodies of the men who continue to work the salt many have terrible sores all
the salt many have terrible sores all
the salt many have terrible sores all over their feet and hands there are days
over their feet and hands there are days
over their feet and hands there are days when your arms hurt but there are no
when your arms hurt but there are no
when your arms hurt but there are no doctors here there is nothing there are
doctors here there is nothing there are
doctors here there is nothing there are men who have bad wounds like this it’s
men who have bad wounds like this it’s
men who have bad wounds like this it’s really hard but what are you going to do
really hard but what are you going to do
really hard but what are you going to do the salt tablets are loaded on the
the salt tablets are loaded on the
the salt tablets are loaded on the camels as the people prepare to head out
camels as the people prepare to head out
camels as the people prepare to head out they will spend about 14 days heading
they will spend about 14 days heading
they will spend about 14 days heading south to Timbuktu for them crossing the
south to Timbuktu for them crossing the
south to Timbuktu for them crossing the desert is not merely getting from here
desert is not merely getting from here
desert is not merely getting from here to there it is a process in the Sahara
to there it is a process in the Sahara
to there it is a process in the Sahara Desert there is no reference point as
Desert there is no reference point as
Desert there is no reference point as far as the eye can see it’s an absolute
far as the eye can see it’s an absolute
far as the eye can see it’s an absolute sea of sand nighttime comes and goes
sea of sand nighttime comes and goes
sea of sand nighttime comes and goes the Sun rises large in the sky as the
the Sun rises large in the sky as the
the Sun rises large in the sky as the caravans move out in these long journeys
caravans move out in these long journeys
caravans move out in these long journeys the guides utilize skills which have
the guides utilize skills which have
the guides utilize skills which have been developed slowly literally over
been developed slowly literally over
been developed slowly literally over generations they read the direction of
generations they read the direction of
generations they read the direction of the stars they use the orientation of
the stars they use the orientation of
the stars they use the orientation of the sand dunes and tracings in the sand
the sand dunes and tracings in the sand
the sand dunes and tracings in the sand at mark the direction of prevailing
at mark the direction of prevailing
at mark the direction of prevailing winds as they travel through the desert
winds as they travel through the desert
winds as they travel through the desert they come upon well after well where the
they come upon well after well where the
they come upon well after well where the caravans stop and allow their camels to
caravans stop and allow their camels to
caravans stop and allow their camels to drink it’s the continuation of a
drink it’s the continuation of a
drink it’s the continuation of a tradition a means of survival that’s
tradition a means of survival that’s
tradition a means of survival that’s been alive for a thousand years during
been alive for a thousand years during
been alive for a thousand years during their trip the caravan encounters rain
their trip the caravan encounters rain
their trip the caravan encounters rain causing them to stop the rain affects
causing them to stop the rain affects
causing them to stop the rain affects the salt and will cause it to break if
the salt and will cause it to break if
the salt and will cause it to break if it is not allowed to dry out they are at
it is not allowed to dry out they are at
it is not allowed to dry out they are at least a ten days walk north of Timbuktu
least a ten days walk north of Timbuktu
least a ten days walk north of Timbuktu in the middle of a Syrian desert down to
in the middle of a Syrian desert down to
in the middle of a Syrian desert down to a litre or two of water but they don’t
a litre or two of water but they don’t
a litre or two of water but they don’t panic they remain extraordinarily home
panic they remain extraordinarily home
panic they remain extraordinarily home they send a guide to track down a road
they send a guide to track down a road
they send a guide to track down a road well and hope that the rains have been
well and hope that the rains have been
well and hope that the rains have been sufficient with the little water they
sufficient with the little water they
sufficient with the little water they have left they brew some tea they have
have left they brew some tea they have
have left they brew some tea they have learned to adapt to the desert landscape
learned to adapt to the desert landscape
learned to adapt to the desert landscape using the knowledge gained from their
using the knowledge gained from their
using the knowledge gained from their ancestors over the centuries
ancestors over the centuries
ancestors over the centuries as they get closer to Timbuktu as far as
as they get closer to Timbuktu as far as
as they get closer to Timbuktu as far as the eye can see
the eye can see
the eye can see the sand and the sky blends together the
the sand and the sky blends together the
the sand and the sky blends together the camel caravans arrive in Timbuktu they
camel caravans arrive in Timbuktu they
camel caravans arrive in Timbuktu they very carefully unload the cameras one
very carefully unload the cameras one
very carefully unload the cameras one salt block at a time they stack the salt
salt block at a time they stack the salt
salt block at a time they stack the salt blocks in little Adobe courtyard they
blocks in little Adobe courtyard they
blocks in little Adobe courtyard they prepare to make the journey back to Tao
prepare to make the journey back to Tao
prepare to make the journey back to Tao tini continuing the cycle of the salt
tini continuing the cycle of the salt
tini continuing the cycle of the salt caravan
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