This is just about sand, wind, and sun,
About a disconnected piece of land,
And fire.
After a long car drive out of the beautiful palace in through a long one-lane road, we arrived to the depths of the desert. It felt like an immediate peacefulness, into our most pure, natural selves. When all you can think about doing is just taking off your shoes. Letting your feet feel the warm, smooth sand as I walked around the camp, making my way to the cabin. I just left everything I could inside and went back to enjoy the few minutes we had before our first adventure. All you could hear was the soft Indian music in the background. After only a few minutes our jeeps were ready, they were going to take us farther into the desert where we would actually meet the camels.
A couple of minutes after we left the camp, everything had disappeared. Wherever you turned you saw sand. No people, no road. Only the deafening wind crashing into your face. At first we tried talking among us, but soon enough we gave up. It was useless to compete against the wind. There's something about being so exposed to nature. It makes you feel naked, humble, small. Just like it's supposed to. But that starkness consumes you and you can't help but look out in awe and admiration. To what the world is and all the beauty nature has to offer.
After twenty minutes the jeep started slowing down, before coming to a complete stop. That's when we saw a couple of camels waiting for us. In less than five minutes we were all paired up and sitting on the camels, which would take us further into the desert. As soon as the cars were gone, we were surrounded by complete silence. The sun was about to kiss the day away, making the dunes a beautiful golden color contrasting the dull, dusty skies above. Barefoot, we stepped off the camels, feeling the heat through our soles and the sting of all the tiny grains of sand crashing violently into the skin of our calves.
I climbed up to one of the highest dunes, fighting against the strength of the wind, the instability of the sand and the occasional sharp object that my toes would encounter. But I made it to the top. I made it to the top and felt the strongest sense of uselessness I had ever felt. All I could think of at that point was about the stories we hear from thousands of years ago. All of those who walked in the desert for weeks, months, and even years. All it takes is one windstorm overnight to wake up to a completely different landscape. Nothing but the sun to send them in the right direction.
We stayed there for as long as we could, running my hand through the sand and letting it fall gently from my hand. It started getting cooler and darker, which is when we decided we should head back. We got back on the jeep, not even bothering to speak with each other this time. Back at camp, the environment had changed completely. We could not hear the soothing sounds anymore, they were now stronger, livelier beats. Right in the middle of the camp, two young men were starting a fire in a huge round fireplace. They were getting ready for the performance tonight. The sand was not warm anymore and even the texture became damper, as if it were preparing itself for the night.
After having a few minutes to freshen up, we made our way back to the fireplace, which was now getting bigger. They had set up mats and pillows all around for us to sit and they were starting to pass around small, colorful cups of chai. We just sat there, with messy hair, dirty feet and blurry eyes from the growing fire.
In a second, the music intensified, the dancer started creating these strong, sharp movements in which all you could see was the silky, deep red of her costume and the blinding flares of the fire crashing into the hundreds of silver coins sewn into her outfit. You could hear the drums and the flute. The fire tried to keep up, becoming stronger. Almost violent.
And that was the moment. The moment in which I looked above, to a pitch black night sky and thousands of gleaming stars. That fire was in me. It was this spark growing in my heart, feeding me with desire. Eagerness to travel and see everything there is to see. How many disconnected pieces of land could there be? How far would I have to go? How to start?
It was just about sand, wind, and sun.
But it became much more than that.
I became fire.
