Day 1: Sand, Sand, and More Sand

The helicopter ride takes a few hours, but it finally takes me to my destination. I land in the Saharan Desert, in the northern region of Libya. The only things I have with me are 3 water bottles, a lighter, a swiss army knife, the parachute I used to land down safely, my pen and trusty notebook to record all my findings, and a compass to see where to go. The second I land in the desert, I feel a blast of hot wind, and immediatley notice the dry climate. After about 10 minutes or so, my skin is already beginning to feel dry and cracked, and my tongue the same. The feeling of moisture simply vanishes so quickly I have to take a few "sips" from my water bottle once every few minutes. At night, I decide to use my parachute as a makeshift tent. I realize how difficult this trip already is on the first day, and why this desert is considered the most hottest desert in the world.