2004-07-25 - 9:45 p.m.

6/9/04

One Characteristic of the desert that has really stuck out to me is the abrasive nature of all of the plants and animals. It seems that everything is out to cause you pain. From the trees with giant spines, to the seeds with small ones that cover every square inch of the country, to the blister beetles that secrete a chemical, which (as their name implies) causes one to break out in blisters, and then you have the scorpions that hide in your bedding before you go to sleep (I’ve found two so far). My host dad likes top tease me because I jump whenever anything bumps against me at night.

All of this has lead me to one conclusion: the desert is the edge of survival. Every organism here is engaged in a fierce battle to stay alive and reproduce. I pulled a grub out of the garden the other day. I tossed it to the side and within 10 minutes the grub had been torn to pieces by a troop of ants. Nothing is wasted. To survive requires resourcefulness and defence. I am ceaselessly amazed at the adaptations around me that allow organisms to squeak out a meager existence.

I have already mentioned he massive amount of water I drink here (upwards of 6 litres a day). However, my host father drinks ¼ that amount. Unless he is imbibing enormous amounts of fluid while I’m away, I can’t understand how he survives. In the movie Lawrence of Arabia there is a great scene where the title character first goes into the desert. His guide tells him it is time for him to drink water. Just before he is about to take a mouthful he realizes the guide is not drinking.

“You do not drink,” he asks.

“I am Bedouin,” he responds. Lawrence then plugs his bottle back up and says, “I drink when you drink.” I can’t quite remember if he is able to keep up or not, but I have half a mind to try keeping up with my host dad. I’ve been here two weeks now and have yet to get sick, so I think it best not to try fate. I think I’m better off staying hydrated then saying I’m tough for rarely drinking water.

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