Bahariya Oasis. There are five major oases in Egypt's section of the Sahara Desert. I say "major" because there are probably hundreds of tiny oases, but only about five that are big enough to support villages. Bahariya is the first you reach on the road from Cairo. We stopped here to have lunch.

Amy in the chariot (er, microbus) that carried us from Cairo to the desert.

Leaving Bahariya Oasis (looking through the back of the microbus at a donkey cart also exiting the village).

Looking back at the outskirts of Bahariya Oasis from the desert.

We enter the Black Desert. This is a stretch of desert that was formed from the erosion of mountains. Over time, the wind destroyed these mountains and spread their remains (hundreds of millions of black stones) throughout the desert. These black stones now coat the desert floor and all the dunes and hills, hence the name "Black Desert."

A mountain by the side of the road that you can climb to the top for a better view of the desert.

An up-close look at the tiny black rocks that coat the Black Deset and thus give it its name.

Me on top of the mountain, with the volcano-like rocks of the Black Desert in the background.

Looking back at the road.

The road, looking southwest into the Black Desert.

Amy, climbing down the mountain.

The "Crystal Mountain." This big rock is made entirely of quartz crystals. From afar, it sparkles, which you unfortunately can't see here. There are quartz crystals all over the sand near this hunk of rock.

The road of life -- who knows what lies just around the corner?