Is there really nothing there?
“What do you actually do in the desert?”
– we often hear this question from our friends. It probably comes from a belief that “there is nothing there”, which many people share. Let us clear this up a little.
There are things in the desert to discover which are not so obvious and often even not visible to the eye.
There is much less of EVERYTHING in the desert. There is no mess. There is no hustle. No noise, no rubbish, no straight lines, no roads, no traffic jam, no signs, no shops, no houses, no banks, no bars, no sky-scratchers, no tunnels, no airports, no work agreements, no deadlines, no clocks.
Yet somehow you can find everything that’s essential. The silence gives rest to all your senses. The unlimited space and clear night sky of Sahara makes you feel humble and grateful. The fire keeps you warm at night and palm trees give you shadow in the daytime. Dates straight from the tree not only taste great, they also have an added value – you picked them yourself, by throwing a stone in a cluster:)
There is nothing like staying by a well and enjoying its cold water in a hot day. You hear your feet striking the ground and your own breath when making your way through the sands. The landscape changes every minute, eyes resting on the line of horizon.
After one night in the desert the whole world is left far behind, and the only thing that really matters is the nature around and the fact that you finally have TIME to experience being a part of it.
So, the answer for the question “What do we actually do in the desert” is simple: we celebrate life.