Approaching camp by 4x4, I could see a small group of black tents in the distance, dwarfed by the towering dunes of the Sahara Desert that rose behind. Similar to our desert experience in Jordan, we unloaded our bags, were handed a few extra bottles of frozen water, and left to fend for ourselves for a few hours. We set off into the dunes and marveled at the physical properties of this alien landscape. The dunes were a study in contradiction: mighty mountains of sand hundreds of feet high... but that seemed to flow like water as we sank ankle deep in the impossibly light substrate.
As the sun got closer to the horizon, one of our guides fetched a small group of camels previously hidden behind one of the rolling dunes. We greeted each of the friendly beasts, including one with eyes the color of the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf. Along with two other travelers, Nick and I saddled up and rode into the dunes for sunset.
After making it to our destination, we headed for the tallest dune we could find. Once at the top, we were completely alone, and began to grasp how vast were the dunes. As far the eye could see, rolling hills of sand, disappearing into the sun-drenched horizon. It was beautiful.
That night, before bed, the camp cook gestured that we should pull our beds out under the stars. We grabbed the mattress and drug it out of the felt tent and into the open. It was beautiful sight to drift off to sleep with... but what was truly overwhelming was waking up in the middle of the night. The nearly full moon had retreated beyond the horizon, and left in its place a perfect blanket of stars. The night sky was completely unspoiled by any light, and the dry desert air meant that even the tiniest star shone brightly. It was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. I awoke Nick and we laid there in silence, completely mesmerized, a tiny mattress adrift in an endless universe. Of all my moments as a traveler, this will forever be one of my favorites.
