Minibuses wait at the roadside until they fill, drivers call out the next stop, and passengers swap names before the first bend. Roads climb from open desert into greener hills, and a ride across the country carries you from pale plains to cool slopes, with time to talk.

The weather is mostly dry and desert-like, with hot summers, cooler winters and a little more rain in the western highlands, so spring and autumn feel the most comfortable for long days outside. A Local Friend walks beside you instead of ahead, pointing out the doorway worth stepping through and the bench where the afternoon is best spent.