#2: [21-Feb-08]

#1: [16-Nov-01]

29-Aug-2008 -- Continued from 26N 48E.

We were now heading for our objective of the day - 3 confluence points in one day. The unknown was that we had to traverse the Dahnā' Dunes and the variable was that we could well run into some big - soft dune sets that would make our day interesting. That was still to come as we first had to pick our way around Bedouin tracks and head in the general direction of the setting sun.

Luck would have it that we came across the 26^th parallel 'highway'. A dirt track that headed slighty south of west but nevertheless fun to follow. It later came to pass that it originates c. 1990 when the American Army were happy to keep their sappers busy by building roads all over Eastern Saudi. We kept an average speed of about 50 km/h while obvioulsy coming across areas that would bring us to a screeching halt - if you can get tyres screeching in dirt! Bas also seemed to doze off from time to time, as he would not notice that I had tried to get airborne and he would follow suit.

Just short of the half way point, we came across an amazing runway... You could almost expect to have a Hercules coming in over your head. Needless to say we ploughed on and the potentially dreaded big dunes (well, today they were not really welcome but any other day they are most enjoyable) did not materialise. Instead we would maintain good speeds of around 80 km/h. That is until we came across a hardtop and Bas had the awful decision: Do I stay and have fun... or go and have a few frosties with a bunch of cloggies???

Sadly he did not live up to expectations and he bailed... Oh well, and he does drive a Prado... And he showed so much potential to be an off-roadie... So then there was two...

We only had another few kilometers to go and this was very quickly dealt with. So Number 3 was in the bag. What an achievement!

Continued at 25N 47E.