Comprised of palatial villas, a free-form swimming pool, signature Anantara Spa and gourmet dining, I was anxious to experience all the property had to offer and, after a quick dip in the refreshing pool, I signed up for an early morning, sunrise desert trek.

FORBES: A Luxury Oasis In Abu Dhabi: Anantara's Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort

When late in 1935 he went missing while trying to break the speed record for Paris to Saigon, France held its breath until news came that Bedouin had found him after a three-day trek across the Libyan desert.

ECONOMIST: Hunting for Saint-Exup��ry

In the late 1830s, a bunch of doughty Dutch-speaking pioneers embarked on the Great Trek: a thousand-mile hike across desert and bush to escape the tyranny of British rule.

ECONOMIST: South Africa