An early start today, we had to make it to the first confluence point. After refuelling at Ghaftain, we reached Muqshin, but there had been new roads built and the maps did not agree, great to have GPS. We took the old road then onto a graded (unsealed) road into Wadi Arba.
Once we were within 20 Km from the confluence point we basically straightlined it as the terrain was not too complicated, and we found N19E53 on flat gravel plain with many tracks around it.
After the photo session and self-congratulations we decided not to back track but to head straight across to Quitabit, through Wadi Quitabit. The drive was not too complicated, a bit soft in places with a lot of sharp flint around, so on deflated tyres this was a bit risky.
We picked up a major track about 5 Km from Quitabit and proceeded at a faster pace, where we refuelled and re-stocked on water etc., before heading south again on a sealed road.
There is no fuel at Dawkaw, in fact there is very little there except an abandoned camp and transmitter tower. We found some firewood and then carried on to Shisr, hoping to find fuel there, otherwise some major re-planning would be necessary with reason to break into our reserves.
Darkness was not too far away and both Streaky and I were looking forward to pitching the camp in daylight, so we pulled off the unsealed road about 45 Km short of Shisr, and found a relatively secluded area away from the track.
After the sun had passed below the roofrack we had sundowners and prepared to cook our first meal of the trip and arrange the fire.
Once darkness fell we were soon visited by the first camel spider who came scuttling into our camp, then another, which was duly taken care of by Streaky using a shovel, and it looked like a secure sleeping area would be required. Personally I was not too bothered as I use a TENT COT , however around 0100 I woke up with something running over my face and was convinced that a camel spider had managed to join me for the night. As it turned out it was only a large grasshopper, but it freaked me out a bit and once removed I secured all the zippers leaving no entry point for any critters.
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