As a lone female traveling through Northern Sudan, it is no easy feat to convince a bus driver to drop you at the side of the road in the middle of the Nubian Desert. After pointing  desperately at words in my phrase book and using dramatic hand signals my wish was granted.
The air-conditioned bus sped away, leaving my backpack and me in a cloud of dust. In the distance were the Pyramids of Meroe. I began to contemplate how best to cover the stretch between the road and the pyramids with an enormous backpack in 48-degree heat. Did I really need to pack a travel guide for every country between Tanzania and Mongolia? No sooner had I taken my first steps, when, like an oasis one first thinks is a mirage, 2 men dressed in flowing white robes and cream-coloured turbans appeared. One rode a camel, the other a donkey. They asked my name, and where I was from. The man on the donkey insisted that he take my bag and I climbed upon the camel.
I explored the enchanting pyramids and investigated the ancient hieroglyphics. As the sun set it transformed the desert into hues of scarlet; the pyramids sparkled like golden jewels. I found a spot to place my tent and delighted in the solitude of the desert's vastness.
I was awoken from my fantasy when two young visitors approached. They said they were 23, but looked 14. They also said they were the tourist police. I had my doubts. While one boy wandered away, the other stayed to talk to me.
 It was the usual chatter until the conversation turned.
"I have no wife. Do you know what I am asking?"
"I am married," I lied. "And no I do not know what you are asking" I had a bad feeling as to where the conversation was going.
"Please just one kiss?" he asked.
"NO"! I yelped. I showed him my "ring" and said that my husband was a very angry and jealous man. He got the hint and disappeared into the desert as quickly as he had come.
After this incident I began to wonder if spending a night in the desert alone was such a good idea. It was now dark, and even if another option had presented itself, I most likely wouldn't have taken it. I checked my tent for scorpions, snakes and spiders, placed my knife where it could easily be reached and waited for the ebony sky to fill with stars.
I awoke, the next morning to brilliant sunshine streaming through my tent - and a man peering inquisitively inside. "Salam Aleykum", he said waving. I recognized him as the man who had  given me a ride on the camel. He pointed at me, then the tent. "Nicole and Ali Baba" he said excitedly. I looked at him in confusion. "Ali Baba…Ali Baba," he repeated pointing at the tent then me. He put his arm around me and gave me a hug, then with a huge smile started rehearsing a scenario where thieves had come during the night and I'd fought them off with daring bravery. I realized it was a story in Arabian Nights he was referring to.
I packed my tent with the help of the storyteller and walked to the road, hoping to hitch a ride. At last, dark blue Ford with heavily-tinted windows stopped. I threw my pack in the trunk, and entered the car. As we started driving down the road, the man reached over to the glove compartment.
Opening it, he proudly declared: "This is my gun."
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