The Ultimate Journey Across Empty Quarters, Middle East
The Ultimate Journey Across Empty Quarters, Middle East
Have you ever dreamt of a trekking adventure of Laurence of Arabia style? Imagine vast expanse full of unlimited golden sand, starry nights, bonfire and local tribal cuisine. In this newsletter we will explore the idea of trekking The Empty Quarters in the Middle East. Actually, this is an incredibly interesting travelling idea! However, you need to know few things and prepare yourself mentally and physically for that.
How to Prepare for the Trekking
The most important thing to remember is never go to any expedition into the desert alone! This terrain can be tricky. It is easy to get lost and you need an experienced person to guide you through the sand and difficulties you are going to encounter on your way. You want to come back home safe. You also need the right equipment, plenty of water and food. Advised clothes are Bedouin wool and goat hair socks. The Saudis also recommend a bisht, which is a long cape that will keep you warm at night. You can buy them in a souk, or how we called it, market all over Saudi Arabia. Remember to wear sun protection, and sun protective airy clothes, and cover your head. You need special glasses to protect you from sandstorms. At night you will need also a head-torch and a warm jacket (in case you do not buy a cape).
Remember that The Empty Quarters is the largest desert of the Arabian Peninsula (650,000 sq. km). Only Antarctica and Arctic deserts are larger than this desert. So, be ready to feel isolated. There will be most of the time you, your team members and your guide.
A Camel Please
The Saudis recommend renting a camel or two🐫 if you want a real adventure. They will carry your equipment and walk through sand. They are made for it! Imagine that camels can survive for long periods of time without food or water. They can easily carry an extra 91 kilograms and walk about 32 kilometers a day through the harsh desert climate. Camels also provide humans with food (milk and meat) and textiles (fiber and felt from hair).
Tips on How to Approach Trekking
- Take one day at a time. If your goal is to walk between 30-40 km a day, it might be a bit discouraging to know that you still need to walk, for instance, 1,000 km. Think about it as most probably the one of a lifetime adventure. It will never repeat in your life, and you want the best experience ever. So cheer up and go for it!
- Choose your team members wisely. You want to be in a team that motivates you. You want people who are enthusiastic, have skills, can manage difficult situation with their good problem-solving
After a long and exhausting trekking, you can experience a magical night under the stars, warming up by the bonfire, and listening to Bedouin stories and drinking hot sweet tea with a dash of camel milk.
Vocabulary
trekking – the act of making a long journey across difficult country on foot, usually for pleasure (wędrówka trekking)
cape – A cape is a short cloak (peleryna)
camel – A camel is a large animal that lives in deserts and is used for carrying goods and people. Camels have long necks and one or two lumps on their backs called humps (wielbłąd)
sandstorm – a strong wind in a desert area, which carries sand through the air (burza piaskowa)
head-torch – a light source affixed to the head for outdoor activities at night or in dark conditions such as caving, orienteering, hiking, skiing, backpacking, camping, mountaineering or mountain biking (latarka na głowę)
harsh – conditions very difficult for people, animals, and plants to live in (surowe, srogie warunki)
cheer up – you stop feeling depressed and become more cheerful (rozchmurz się)
problem-solving – the act or process of finding solutions to problems (umiejętność radzenia sobie w trudnych sytuacjach)
a dash of a quality is a small amount of it that is found in something and often makes it more interesting or distinctive (trochę)