It was my good fortune to be able to go out into the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert while I was in southern Morocco.
.they usually picture dune fields.
This is Erg Chebbi, a dune field at the
southeastern edge of Morocco.
Morocco
Erg Chebbi sand dunes
Sahara Desert
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http://www.hobotraveler.com/2005_09_04_archive.html On google images: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.hobotraveler.com/blogphotos/famine_niger/africa_climate_map.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.hobotraveler.com/2005_09_04_archive.html&usg=__aV8jXMQ4teb2KFmiaqULQXaJHi0=&h=581&w=640&sz=72&hl=en&start=74&sig2=IdudWCramHZsIzzw6nsaYw&zoom=1&tbnid=rUBq53fe4hZTbM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=160&ei=tFiFTPHUB4e-sQOFxpH3Bw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bof%2BSahara%2Bdesert%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Ds%26biw%3D1182%26bih%3D591%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C1615&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=185&oei=b1aFTObfJYTEsAOv7oGzAw&esq=3&page=5&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:74&tx=64&ty=73&biw=1182&bih=591
As far as youcan look inany direction, there isnothing tosee but
waves of sand.
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I did!
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They also take many precautions.
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Michelle Molnar
Tourists leave the dune fields shortly after sunrise.
They don’t ride in the dune fields during the day, nor do they stay there.
Why?
If you guessed that tourists visit the dunes at sunrise and sunsetbecause thedaytimeheat is toointense,you are correct!
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Camels have some natural protection against this threat, but people do not.
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Nictitating membrane over their eyes, shut off nostrils. My experience in a sandstorm in west Texas. Everything closed. Couldn’t see more than 7 or 8 feet in front of you. Swirling like fog, but glowed kind of yellow. Had to hold a wet cloth over your mouth. Lasted for close to 2 hours.
Tents provide important shelter during sandstorms.
edge of the dune field
Camels have some natural protection against this threat, but people do not.
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Nictitating membrane over their eyes, shut off nostrils. My experience in a sandstorm in west Texas. Everything closed. Couldn’t see more than 7 or 8 feet in front of you. Swirling like fog, but glowed kind of yellow. Had to hold a wet cloth over your mouth. Lasted for close to 2 hours.
Tents provide important shelter during sandstorms.
edge of the dune field
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Why don’t people live in the dune fields?
People cannot live without water. The sand dunes do not have water.
rock desert
Sand dunes such as those of Erg Chebbi make up only about 10% of the Sahara Desert.