More Desert Forays

We continue to take as many weekend trips to the desert as we can fit in – because before we know it, it will be too hot to enjoy them. On New Year's Eve, we took the kids and two friends out to enjoy the scenery. We followed the caravan of cars to a place not too far from the city, passing camel farms along the way. The hiking site had nice variety, and this time we opted for the “long walk.” We climbed up the rocky escarpment (Misha clambering ahead and Sebby in the arms of one parent or another) and walked along the top of it, surveying the beautiful, reddish sand spreading out beneath. Misha and I were delighted to spot our first animal in the desert besides a camel – a cute little lizard with excellent camouflage. From there, everyone climbed down into the valley, feeling out pathways over and through the rocks. It was beautiful. The long walk proved a bit much for Misha, but luckily one of the organizers met us as we climbed out of the valley and gave us a ride back to the start!

Josh and Seb on top of the escarpment, overlooking the rusty sand.

Another good father-and-sons shot.

Misha and I at the edge of the canyon.

Misha and I climb down into the valley.

A gorgeous shot of the deepening color of the sand as the sun sets.

A beautiful view of the cliffs in the misty, dusty air as we drive back to the city.

Passing a camel on the road.

These camels, back behind their fence, have wandered home to their farm. My students tell me that there is no such thing as a wild camel. They all have a home somewhere, despite roaming the desert all day on their own.

Rainy Desert Day

Two weeks later, we decided to leave Sebby with our sitter so we could hike freely without carrying a toddler who is always impatient to get down and walk by himself in terrain that encourages scrapes and bumps. It was the coldest day we have experienced yet in Saudi Arabia. My T-shirt covered by one sweatshirt was no match for the drizzling rain and the chilly wind. I used my abaya for an extra layer of protection (not much, but it's something) and covered my ears with my headscarf.

Misha under the rainbow.

Luckily, the rain stopped soon after we arrived and left in its place the most brightly glowing rainbow I have ever seen. In fact, there were multiple rainbows beneath each other, shining with such intensity that we could see each individual color. On that note, we set out with Misha on the long walk, an exhilarating hike down into the valley, up again, down, and up. Apparently part of the path we followed was an old camel trail. The valley floor featured beautifully gouged out “swimming pools” from climate changes long ago that were temporarily filled with water from the recent rains.

Looking down into the valley.

Here we are on the ridge, while far below us lay the carved-out basins in the valley floor.

Misha and Josh overlooking the water-worn valley beneath.

You can see the tiny people walking around the bottom.

Misha did remarkably well, dashing along beside me and urging me to “Hurry up! We have to beat Daddy!” He loves climbing up and down the rocky sides of the canyon. He didn't lose steam until we were nearly back to the car, on the flat, easy home stretch. A nice jaunt in the desert always leaves us feeling exhausted in that comfortable, feel-good sort of way. It's so good for us, especially in this country where most of life, unfortunately, takes place indoors.

Misha and I dangle our feet over a picturesque ledge.

Close-up: cold cheeks and noses! Luckily hiking kept us warm.