My parents and I had just driven down the narrow mountain road from Marrakesh with all its sharp bends, and had finally arrived at Merzouga. Before us stretched the unending sand dunes (沙丘) that marked the beginning of the Sahara.

Our vehicle set off, quietly running over the sand and small stones. It wasn’t long before we were surrounded by enormous sand dunes, towering above us on all sides. The wind was blowing grains of sand from the tops of the dunes, the sun was beating down hard and bright, and the sky was a deep shade of blue that I had never seen before. The wild beauty of the desert was about to reveal itself. There was not a plant to be seen. The desert appeared completely empty, which was calming and threatening at the same time.

Eventually, as the last rays of sunlight were falling on the sand, we arrived at our desert camp. Stars were already shining brightly in the darkening sky and it was getting cold with the approach of the night. I grabbed my bag and headed towards the warm campfire. I was starving and rushed to put a steak on the barbecue. We enjoyed two days in the camp with camel riding and campfire parties before we set off for Kenya.

A few days after our departure from the camp, we were very near to our rest camp in the Amboseli National Park. Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, rose up over the plains before us. Tall grasses and trees dotted the plains, which were alive with the African wildlife. Giraffes, with their long necks, were pulling leaves from the highest branches. In the distance, elephants were eating grass, ears flapping lazily as they moved slowly over the plains.

The rest camp was in sight. Several huts made from brick settle across a large pool of water. The walls reflected the afternoon sun. My father, against my mother’s advice, decided to drive through the pool of water that stretched across the dirt road.

Then, our car was truly stuck in the mud.

We got out of the car.