Im Desert Sand

~I'm Desert Sand~

You can let me belong
Within this fine grains
Among countless sand hills
That feels right within the dunes
Even though I'm just a sand grain
Taking off with wind
I mingle among the grains
Accumulating desert sand
I'm part of this place
For being just a sand grain

Then an inner yell declares:
I'm desert sand
Taking off with the wind
A journey that has no end
Awaiting for the rain
To take away loneliness and pain
Yet the sun rises again
Desert sand I always remain
copyright 2002 nasra al adawi



Camping in the desert was one of the wish list that I kept for myself. Awaiting for one day to be fulfilled. Though I live to what can be considered a desert country (not fully but one can say that) a land where one hear tales of nomads beidu and astonishingly enough I never explored the inland of my country.

A one day and half spending camping in the heart of Rimal Al Wahiba (Wahiba Sands) was for me a night to remember. First of all the invitation was generously had come from my colleagues at work. It was a 3 hours drive from Muscat to reach to Rimal Al Wahiba. As we drove with our salon car to set our destination, we have been informed to meet our tour guide at the rest house and later on to be escorted with 4X4 in the camp area in the desert.

The unpaved road seemed to engrave a trail yet unknown to us and certainly it was a bumpy drive trough harsh terrain. Little by little it began to open up to dunes of golden sands, then there we were in midst of desert dunes a camp of consisting of Khaima (tents) decorated with leaves of date palms. A feather of happiness brushed me over as we reached at almost sunset time to be able to catch a last view of year of 2007 and to be able to witness 2008 in open terrain. Our camp was on one of the golden dunes and as I stood in the mountain of sand grains. A head of me it was a flat area of desert carrying stabs of greenery that indicated that its not just a lifeless desert and it silently declared its winter time and behind me greater hills of heights of sand dunes. The cold air was blowing yet gently not disturbing the grains and that dramatically touched me, it was like blowing tranquility into my inner self and as if I was in the peek of meditation finding right then the ultimate peace.

Though I was with friends, I was their hiding in self corner. Sheering in happiness, exploring the desert in me. Content as the wind brushed herself into my skin. A gentle sting with cold air. I was thrilled to see the tent but it was amazing to sleeping outside, we did not want to hide our selves under the tent. Seeking contact with the moon and wanting to converse with the starts. A silent conversation that does no require no interpretation of words, merely a glance to the stars. As I closed my eyes to sleep, the moon was glowing furiously. As the time declared it’s a new year of 2007 my eyes drifted into dreams. I thought I would be deprived the joy of glittering stars, in the mid of my sleep I woke up and there I was, my roof was an empty sky decorated with countless stars.



I walk up to catch glimpse of the sunrise like paying of for all the days that I missed the sunrise. I wanted to give justice for all the sun, the moon and stars. Then I had chance to ride the dunes, explore it peek and slide within its curves.

As I bid goodbye to the desert, I met with bidu, women who wanted to show their crafts. It felt good to be mixed, and there I was enjoying the conversation with some bidu women.

Our trip did not end in desert, it had ended in Wadi which was called Wadi Bani Khalid. It is just a 45 mints drive from the desert dunes. Since yesterday I have been trying to write a poem on the desert to portray the feeling, but somehow my feelings seem to choose to go by without poetic words. So I'm just going to end with just photos that I had taken through my trip.

Many thanks to Mireia and Sandra for putting up with me during the trip, this was a was amazing trip of my life.