The curly red lines across the African deserts had the fascination of a magnet, and I hoped fervently that the pioneers who were writing their names over the blank spaces, would leave just one small desert for me.

The red sands of Marrakesh, sprawling at the foot of the Atlas like a wounded Leviathan.

The desert has a subtle and a cruel charm. She destroys while she enthralls.

The laws all true wanderers obey are these: 'Thou shalt not eat nor drink more than thy share,' 'Thou shalt not lie about the places thou hast visited or the distances thou hast traversed.

That is the charm of the map. It represents the other side of the horizon where everything is possible.

it is a curious fact that camels walk more quickly and straighter to the sound of singing.

the camels had strayed far in search of scarce grass. When collected, they displayed a fiendish ingenuity in throwing their loads and tangling themselves up in every possible strap.