Roger Rambler        page 5               Roger Rambler Class Page

The place that we are headed for is the Danakil Depression filled to the brim with volcanic cones, lava fields that can wear out a pair of boots in a week.  Dried up salt lakes are an economic plus. Camel train  However, to get the salt, the Afar have to brave boiling sulfur and noon temperatures of  65° C. with torturous regularity for the land here lies between 70 and 150 metres below sea level. 

We are headed for Lake Karum to pick up salt.    On the first day, the going is supposedly not that hard to take.  I shudder at what the next two days will bring and sigh with relief when we finally make camp as the sun falls behind the mountain peaks.  That night there is dancing.   I was just beginning to dream a delicious dream about an  unlimited supply of tutti-frutti ice cream when I was rudely awakened.

By three o'clock that morning, we are on our way.  Are you ready for the news?  We needed to reach Lake Karum and load up with salt and return before dark, for there was not a drop of water for the mules to drink once we reached the valley floor.  Camels can go for days without water but mules cannot. When we reached the lake bed, the sun had already risen over a shimmering whiteness like you cannot imagine. It's a wonder where all the salt came from. 

According to geologists, at one time Lake Karum was an arm of the Red Sea.   Eventually volcanic eruptions sealed off Lake Karum from the Red Sea and the lake dried up.  A geologist told me that the salt is probably about five or six kilometres deep.  Yes, volcanoes still do rumble from time to time was his answer to my next question.

Once the camel-mule train was loaded we began to pace forward.  I wasn't surprised that my stomach was rumbling.  We'd had a skimpy breakfast at three so it was no wonder that I was suffering from tummy rumbles.  However, I seemed to feel rumbles in my feet too.  That was kind of strange.  The next thing I knew there was a f-f-f-f-f- sound in the air. Out of the dust a flying machine settled onto the lake bed.  Twof guys in battle fatigues go out and swaggered straight towards me. 

"You're to come with us," they said.

"To where?"

"A major volcanic eruption is about to take place anytime soon.  Time is of the essence."

I bid hurried goodbyes and scurried over to the helicopter.  No sooner had we lifted off than a plume of smoke rose from a volcano on the horizon directly ahead.  We began to climb in a corkscrew fashion.  When we broke through the haze, I caught glimpses of the Red Sea. distant.  The next thing I knew we were over it but not for long.

About half an hour later, we were landing at the airport in Sana, Yemen, a rather beautiful city even if it is perched on the side of a mountain.   Photos

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