The Sea of Sand by Heather Benn

The sea of sand they called it, but it was really just a  dessert, the Sinai dessert in Egypt. I looked from the Jeep at the panoramic view. I walked over from the road to the shimmering sea in the half light, the clouds were menacing, it was eerie and the solitude got right inside of you.    

There was a single tree, they said to follow behind it to the dune beyond, and you will see the Bedouin camp.I measured my steps, I wanted to be sure of finding my way back, One,Two,Three.

Suddenly I sensed a movement to my left, a Camel came into view with a lone Nomad leading it. No doubt he'd come to guide me.

I had met an Arab at a camel fair in Alexandria, he said he had been trading with a Dutchman and had acquired this stone.It was a real beauty but it wouldn't feed the camels.

So here I was, they said come alone the Nomad beckoned me, and I went to meet him. Would I come back, you hear such stories but they are probably exaggerated. We  shook hands and he led me off into the dessert. I could feel the grit in my face a storm was blowing up I'd heard of storms in the dessert but I had never experienced one.The wind shrieked, the sand whipped up like a whirling Dervisher. I pulled my scarf up over my mouth. I kept my head down.  Then I was surrounded by camels and Nomads.

They led me to their tent, it was a relief to get out of the storm. They gave me some liquid, they said it was tea but it tasted dreadful.

I woke up, I didn't know where I was, my head felt muzzy and my mouth was full of grit. The sand swept over me, I looked around, I could see nothing and it felt like I was sinking down, down, down. A sea of sand they said.