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Bristol explorer’s desert trek recreated
An adventurer has successfully retraced the steps of a Bristol explorer, becoming the third British person ever to cross the largest sand desert in the world.
Mark Evans walked 1,300km through across the Empty Quarter, or the Rub’ al-Khali, from Saudi Arabia to Doha, Qatar, following in the footsteps of Bertram Thomas from Pill.
In 1930, Thomas became the first person to cross the desert which is about three times the size of the UK.
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Evans, 54, and two companions from Oman faced 250-metre sand dunes which saw their camels sink knee deep in sand, and next to no wildlife in inhospitable conditions during the 49-day, coast-to-coast trek.
He paid tribute to the few local tribes who assisted his group. “Twenty-eight goats, seven camels and three sheep have been slaughtered in our honour,” he told the BBC.
Evans managed to blog his journey, writing a diary for Geographical magazine and adding stunning images along the way.
Evans and his companions become the first people to complete the trek on foot in 85 years. He said: “I have just sat in a chair for the first time in 49 days.”
Read more: Following in the footsteps of history