• Basking under the sun on a lazy Tuesday afternoon

September 14, 2004

It is 47 degrees Celsius and the midday sun with all its radiance shone brightly. I remember that I greatly desired to join this expedition as I wanted to visit places I would never go to as a tourist. Well, if thoughts have wings and wishes come true, then I got my wish. Being short of fuel in the middle of the Sahara is definitely something no tourist would do!

We were having a fuel problem, and there was no way we could leave the desert if we did not get sufficient fuel. Therefore Harun and Sandro, as well as our guides Roberto and Abdullah, left in the wee hours of the morning to purchase fuel for the convoy. It would be a 10 hour journey to and from Waw el Kebir, and the rest of the team had to keep ourselves entertained as we waited.

I suppose a message from home is always the best antidote for a restless mind. After the routine roll call and singing the national anthem, I walked around the camp delivering messages received via the PETRONAS Adventure Team bulletin board. Well, it was definitely nice to see smiles on the faces of the convoy members.

The first few hours of waiting were spent doing maintenance and repairs, as well as tidying the vehicles. Some of the convoy members with time in their hands decided to stamp their mark on the land by hitting golf balls as well as playing rugby in the sand. Judging by the shouts of excitement, anyone would be fooled into believing the group was by the beach and definitely not in the desert.

As the heat became more intense, the members began to scurry under make shift tents. Various topics of interest could be heard from different tents as the members became better acquainted with one another under the scorching Sahara sun. Some settled with a book for their companion, while others opted for an afternoon siesta.

The sight of Sandro’s vehicle approaching the campsite was greeted by cheers. After refuelling, the convoy made its way to the next stop. The brief stop at the site of an extinct volcano definitely served as the perfect antidote for the convoy.

I never expected to be greeted by such contradiction for smack in the middle of a sea of sand lay calm lakes surrounded by palm trees and lush greenery. Seeing lakes in the middle of a desert was definitely a first for me. The sight was wonderful to behold, and I stood in complete awe. The desert is indeed unforgiving, yet for the patient traveller, it has stores of surprises waiting to be discovered.