The Libyan Desert

This is also what we came for. I remember standing at the pyramids in Egypt in 1999 and looking towards the desert thinking "I must come back here for a another trip but next time I will cross the desert". Well we did it! Click on a thumbnail to download a larger version of the image.

Wonderful patterns in the sand and a setting sun. What more could you wish for? Photo: Brian Seales	Well, we had a sandstorm, but luckily not on eclipse day. Photo: Chris O'Byrne	We took a little detour to Mars along the way. Really this looks just like the surface of the Red Planet. Photo: Chris O'Byrne
This is where we stopped on our first day in the desert for lunch.Perfect. Photo: Dave Seales	The main road. Photo: Dave Seales	Stunning sand dunes in the Murzuk Sand Sea. Can you see the person in the photo? Photo: Brian Seales
Sunset over the Murzuk Sand Sea. Simply breathtaking. Photo: Brian Seales	A perfect reflection at an Oasis. Photo: Brian Seales	A queue for petrol in the middle of the desert. The Libyan army brought supplies in so no one would get stranded. Photo: Chris O'Byrne
The convoy thunders off into the distance at Waw an-Namus. The black sand surrounding the crater is clearly seen here. Photo: Brian Seales.	Bringing life to the desert. This is one of the irrigation schemes we drove past. They are easily seen as "crop circles" in satellite photos. Photo by Chris O'Byrne.	Man made patterns meet natures patterns in the Murzuk Sand Sea. Photo by Sinead Cawley.
Every day we had this view as the drivers raced each other across the desert. Great fun! Photo: Dave Seales	The heat of the desert sun has burned one side of this can. Even abandoned rubber tyres were sticky to touch. Photo: Chris O'Byrne	One of the beautiful lakes in the crater at Waw an-Namus. Photo: Mark Dowling.
Following the tracks of the vehicle in front as we head into the sunset. Photo: Chris O'Byrne	It was amazing to drive for hours with just sand around us and then arrive at a scene like this. Photo: Olivia Flynn	That is not a mirage on the horizon. It was our site for eclipse day. As you can see there was very little room for us to set up equipment. Photo: Olivia Flynn
Another one of the beautiful lakes within the Waw an-Namus crater. Photo: Chris O'Byrne	A convoy of 4WD's raise dust. Photo Chris O'Byrne	Driving through a mirage. Photo: Chris O'Byrne
Lake Gabroun, one of the oasis in the Ubari Sand Sea. Photo: Chris O'Byrne	Any shade will do and these tough Acacia trees are very often all you can find. Photo: Chris O'Byrne	A wonderful night shot taken in the Murzuk Sand Sea. Photo: Chris O'Byrne
The black sand which surrounds Waw an-Namus was a stunning contrast to what we were just getting used to. Photo: Barry Cooke	There were many different landscapes as we drove along and this was just one of them. Photo: Barry Cooke	OK not the desert but a stunning sunset at Tripoli. Photo: Sinead Cawley
Is that a shadow from the sun? Yet another great sunset over the desert this time. Photo: Jim Lynch	Here we go again! The pick ups were very important to us as they carried the food. Photo: Sinead Cawley	We did not know what these piles of rocks were until the guides told us that passing tourists have been stopping and making them for years. We didn't bother to join in. Photo: Jim Lynch
Wow! Photo: Jim Lynch	A walk at dusk. Photo: Jim Lynch	This sums it all up for me. The peace and quiet of the desert at sunset was one of the most memorable pasrts of this trip. Photo: Jim Lynch