A journey to Khurma and a camel feast in a lava field camp – expedition diary Day 23
The team leave the Uruq Sabai behind them and make their way to Khurma, a small but historically significant settlement. Mark reflects on Philby’s journey all those years ago, when Philby was close t...
25 Jan 20238min
Waking to the sound of the hoopoe lark – Expedition diary Day 22
Mark wakes early to the sound of the hoopoe lark then the expedition team set off to cross the Uruq Sabai – an extensive mountain of desert sand stretching some 70 miles in length. Once they’re all ...
23 Jan 202319min
Crossing a vast and empty desert plain – Expedition diary Day 21
Mark and Reem walk across a vast plain of desert before coming to rest before tomorrow’s crossing of the Uruq Subai sand barrier. It’s a landscape that seems to offer up little, no landmarks, not eve...
23 Jan 202311min
A Glorious Discovery of Ancient Artifacts – Expedition Diary Day 20
After hours searching the team are rewarded with an extraordinary find – several hand axes, hundreds of thousands of years old and invaluable evidence of desert occupation in the distant past. Mark t...
22 Jan 202312min
The healing power of the wilderness – Expedition Diary Day 19
After an incredible night under the stars, camped in a wadi bed, watching Jupiter, Saturn and Venus, Mark and the team reflected on the peace and serenity of the desert. How the simplicity of life and...
20 Jan 202317min
Female explorers of Arabia – Expedition Diary Day 18
The Royal Geographical Society in London was Philby’s second home. On returning to London, he would offload all the information he had gathered on his travels to the cartographers who would update the...
19 Jan 20239min
Graffiti Rock and flint arrowheads – Expedition Diary Day 16
The weather has been tough on the team for the last 24 hours. Sand has got everywhere. On day 2 of this leg, Mark and the team visited Graffiti Rock 1 and photographed the ancient rock art, going back...
18 Jan 202311min
Leg 2 Leaving Old Diriyah - Expedition Diary Day 15
The team are back together and have some very special guests with them. Some of Philby’s British family have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the start of the next leg of the expedition. This is the firs...
17 Jan 202315min
