Susanne - 10:22 am on Sep 30, 2002 (gmt 0)

The Sinai desert in Egypt. Clear blue skies. Acacia trees in full bloom. A strong smell of peppermint from a desert herb fills the air in some of the valleys. Bedouins harvest the world's sweetest and juiciest dates.

The Red Sea is blackish blue, crystal clear and cold. Visibility underwater maybe 500 feet, on land I can see the mountains of Saudi Arabia across the sea.

Nights are crisp and cool. You gather around the fire for bedouin tea and bread. Camels ruminating nearby, soon it's time to crawl into your snuggly sleeping bag and gaze up at billions of stars.

Now begins the best time of the year, from October until April. Time to push the 4X4 to its limits while exploring the ancient Sinai desert with its historical sites and fascinating nature. We find Roman inscriptions, pre-historic dwellings and ancient coral reefs many miles from the sea.

But I get a little homesick (as a Scandinavian) while reading about your preparations for a real winter, as I didn't experience one for nine years...

So how do we prepare for winter in the desert? We make sure the Jeep is always ready to go off-road, packed with sleeping bags, carpets, gas cooker, water, canned food, spare tyre, jack, tool box, fire wood, and sweets for the bedouin kids who help us when we get lost!