On the show, we are always talking about traveling off the beaten track and exploring corners of the Earth that are rarely traversed.0:02
My next guest's travels definitely fall into this category.0:09
Ali Heda is a world traveler who recently returned from the Rub' al-Khali, otherwise known as the Empty Quarter, the world's largest sand desert.0:13
Welcome to the show, Ali.0:22
Ali, you have been to some pretty interesting places, including far west Mongolia, and the jungles of South America.0:24
Have you always had such a taste for adventure?0:31
Actually, I didn't start travelling until my mid-twenties.0:34
I had a very sheltered childhood, with most of my time spent reading books.0:38
I remember my dad telling my brother and I stories he had made up about faraway countries and magical lands.0:43
The idea to actually travel and explore new places came when I was dropping a friend off at an airport.0:49
And I saw an advert of a man draped in a white robe galloping on a horse through the desert.0:56
I thought right then and there, why can't I go to such places?1:02
And now here you are, having just traveled across the Empty Quarter desert.1:06
What attracted you to such a place?1:11
The Empty Quarter is a truly fascinating place.1:13
It spans 650,000 square kilometers across the Arabian Peninsula.1:17
It is home to some of the largest sand dunes, rare plant species, and even several meteorite impact sites.1:22
It is considered one of the world's driest, hottest, and most extreme environments.1:30
For me, it was the disconnection with the rest of the world that drew me there.1:35
The idea of being completely cut off from society really appealed to me.1:40
So, did it live up to your expectations?1:45
Waking up to endless sand dunes and absolute stillness made me feel I was somewhere truly remote.1:50
Of course, it was not all just serene and beautiful.1:58
Each day brought its challenges.2:02
The intense sun and sudden sandstorms tested my team, as did the long days of driving.2:04
But above all, it was navigating our jeeps through the non-stop flow of sand dunes that really pushed us to our limits.2:11
Is there a certain technique to driving on the sand dunes?2:18
Yes, a driver needs to know about the different types of dunes and understand which are possible to drive over without getting stuck.2:21
Most people use a standard desert jeep that is suitable for such a terrain.2:29
There are various known routes that can be travelled.2:34
Along my desert crossing, I wanted to see the spot where a large meteor struck the centre of the desert hundreds of years ago at Wubarr.2:37
What I needed to consider carefully, though, is when to travel, as desert conditions change drastically depending on the season, with the summer being the most difficult because of the high temperatures.2:46
What about the meteor site?2:59
Well, I was expecting to see massive craters from the fragments of the meteor that broke up and hit the dunes.3:01
Instead, I was let down and found what looked like the remains of a giant campfire.3:08
This debris is a combination of burnt sand and rock fragments from the meteorite that is scattered around the impact site.3:14
Over time, the craters have been filled with sand, and eventually the whole site will disappear beneath the sand.3:21
From what you have told us, it seems that the Empty Quarter is a forever-changing terrain.3:29
Yes, this is true, which makes it quite unpredictable and at times dangerous.3:33
Often our jeeps hit soft sand and we spend hours driving through it.3:38
There is hard sand too near the Wubarr meteor site that is rough but manageable to drive on.3:43
What is really dangerous and must be avoided at all times are deep sand holes.3:49
These are areas where the sand suddenly drops off into deep pits.3:55
Many desert explorers try to drive into them out of curiosity, but then can't get out of the holes.4:00
It's a sure way to get stranded in the desert.4:07
The whole expedition sounds like quite the challenging and exciting adventure.4:10
So where is your next trip to?4:14
To be honest, I plan to stay put for a while and rest.4:16
A lot of planning and preparation went into this trip to make sure that nothing went wrong, and I really felt confident about the success of the expedition.4:20
When I returned from the trip, I was really pleased that I had at last done it.4:29
The idea of the expedition had consumed my life for so long that I was rather happy to just get it over with and relax.4:34
Well, we hope to hear from you soon with another of your travel experiences.4:42
Thanks for joining us today, Ali.4:45
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