Survival in the desert ?

It’s not all that desert-like…

When we think of a desert, the Sahara often comes to mind, because that’s the most famous one of all. Some archeologists claim it is the site of the mysterious civilization of Atlantis, which disappeared some 12,000 years ago. It was there also that the aviator-writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry met the little prince, or at least where he got the inspiration for his marvelous story The Little Prince. Finally, let’s not forget the novels about Saharan life written by Roger Frison-Roche (a Hergé fan!). But there are deserts everywhere: in Africa (particularly the Sahara and Kalahari), in the Americas (Peru, Chile, Death Valley in California, Monument Valley in Utah), in Asia (the Gobi Desert) and, of course, in the Middle East (the Negev) and the Arabic Peninsula, which Tintin visited so often, from The Cigars of the Pharaoh to The Red Sea Sharks, including The Crab With the Golden Claws and Prisoners of the Sun.

The living desert

Everyone knows that deserts are not completely barren – a fact pointed out in the DVD. You can find all sorts of life there, and even the desert itself is alive. Up until the early part of the modern era the north Sahara was green and fertile, with cities and towns with no shortage of water. In the 21st century there is no doubt that the Sahara really is a desert, and under the effects of climate change it is spreading in the north, ready to cross the Mediterranean Sea! Climatologists predict that southern Spain will become a desert during the next hundred years. Théodore Monod (another Tintin fan) made a great contribution toward popularizing our fascination with the desert. He was familiar with the area, and understood that one shouldn’t take chances there, for any reason.

Land of thirst

There’s no need to remind you of the misfortunes suffered by Captain Haddock, who was a victim of his own impetuous personality…and his limitless thirst! You should never venture into the desert without water, but if your supply runs out, there is a "trick." The trick is to dig a hole and put a container at the bottom, covering everything with a tarp. Fix the tarp in place with stones around the edge, then place one stone in the center of the tarp. The humidity in the soil will collect on the underside of the tarp and run down to the center, where it will fall into the container. But be careful! Don’t drink that water as it is or you may have gastric problems which will leave you even more dehydrated. To protect against that, always carry Halazone pills. And if you don’t have them, be sure to carry matches; this will let you boil the water before drinking.

A less inflated explorer…

An off-road vehicle with four wheel drive? Pick the model carefully; it’s indispensible to get an expert to help you. But there are also some simple rules to follow. Don’t inflate your tires too much. On fine sand you’ll have better traction. Deflate a little while you are still on a solid road. Once you are in sand with nothing else to be seen, don’t follow the tire tracks left by others. You will have less risk of suffering what happened to the Thom(p)sons: going around in circles and following your own tracks…which can go on forever. Why do people go in circles? Because the desert has a false appearance of flatness. In reality, you can be driving in any direction, and without any obstacles it is impossible to maintain a straight path. Without visual cues (we’re in the desert, don’t forget), you can only count on your compass, and even that can give a false reading, depending on the climatic conditions.

The desert seen from the sky

In spite of our good advice, you find yourself lost. First rule: don’t panic! The main thing is to be seen somehow. Don’t count on your phone: there are no cels in the desert! And even satellite phones don’t always work. Find a way to be seen. For example, stop the vehicle in a spot where there are a lot of large stones. Use them to make a circle around your car. There’s only fine sand around you? Trace a large circle, a dozen or so meters across, around your car. It will show up clearly from the sky. Mechanical breakdown? Make a cross out of objects you’re carrying, with the vehicle at the center. This is why it’s not a bad idea to carry things with bright colors: cans, knapsacks, boxes, cases, suitcases, sleeping bags, etc. Don’t wander away from your vehicle, for any reason. As much as possible, wait in the shade. Don’t drive in the direction of a sandstorm. Always wear light clothing to cover your skin.

The desert: friend and foe

Sylvain Tesson has traveled in the harshest areas of the world, encountering geographical and climate conditions of the most forbidding sorts – "firsthand" as he tells it. He has described his experiences in many books, most of which are available in paperbacks. Sylvain Tesson: "When I think of the desert, images from Saint-Exupéry’s Little Prince, and more importantly from Citadelle, come to mind. Wherever I go, I want to get to know the people. And the inhabitants of the desert are some of my best memories. At times I have the feeling that the more difficult the conditions for survival, the more richly human are the people who undergo them." "I believe Hergé understood that. His first descriptions of desert nomads suffered from the clichés used in a world which was still very colonialist. But his insatiable curiosity led him to create a more precise image. And in Tintin in Tibet – the Himalayan summits are also a desert! – he paid the most vibrant tribute to a people not a part of Western civilization."