I'm planning to ride solo on the tarmac on my road bike from Tunis to Djanet and back again early in March.

I usually stop in cheap hotels where I can find them, but I think on this route I am going to need to camp out in the DZ a few times at least, and besides I think it'd be quite an experience as I haven't done it before. I seem to recall reading in Chris's books that the main reason for having a tent is psychological, rather than comfort and protection.

Anybody have any experience or advice on the subject?

I am thinking mainly of:

Weather - Any chance of rain early March? What sort of minimum temperature could I expect at night? I assume there will be little wind at night(?)

Safety - It surely must be better to be able to see if someone's approaching?

and lastly - don't laugh - creepy-crawlies? Is this something I should concern myself with if I'm virtually on the ground? I seem to hear different things - on the one hand, that they're nothing to worry about, and on the other that snakes in particular are attracted to heat (such as me in my sleeping bag!), and that scorpions are nocturnal! Am I being a bit of an old woman, or is sleeping on the ground a bit foolish?! Although I doubt I'd encounter more creatures than I did staying a night at the fuel station on the Atlantic Route between Guergerat and Dakhla last year!

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ichapp.users.btopenworld.com

[This message has been edited by IanC (edited 22 January 2003).]

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