But there are other interesting aspects of this expedition. Since 1995 I have made four expeditions into the Chinese Gobi in order to set up a nature reserve to protect the amazing, yet critically endangered wild Bactrian camel. The wild Bactrian camel, the remarkable ancestor of all domestic

camels lives in three separated habitats in China and one in Mongolia. There are approximately 660 surviving in China and 350 in Mongolia. Their numbers are decreasing each year. In China they survive in the Gashun Gobi, one of the most hostile regions on earth. For 45 years this was the nuclear test site area of China. In spite of this, the wild Bactrian camel survived and is apparently breeding naturally. In some areas in the absence of fresh water, it has adapted to drinking salt water slush, which the domestic Bactrian camel will not touch. Samples of skin taken from the remains of dead wild Bactrian camels have been sent to scientists for genetic DNA testing. The results have been remarkable. Each skin sample has shown two or three distinct genetic differences to the domestic Bactrian camel and a 3% base difference. We could possibly be talking about a separate species, which is more endangered than the Giant Panda. Lastly, through the medium of the world wide web, the expedition was linked to schools in the UK, the USA and China who followed progress reports on all the varied aspects of our travels.

So this journey was multi faceted. We aimed to restore the memory of the remarkable Hanns Vischer, to compare the changes that have taken place in the people of northern Nigeria, Nigeria and Libya in the past 100 years. To investigate the desert rock art and the archaeological sites that Vischer sketched, painted and recorded in his book. To compare the degradation of the Saharan and Gobi deserts and above all, to raise awareness of the wild Bactrian camel, the only animal on this planet that can tolerate salt water slush to such a high degree and which has survived over 43 atmospheric nuclear tests.

All donations are welcome. Please send cheques in £ or $ made out to The Wild Camel Protection Foundation, School Farm, Benenden, Kent, TN17 4EU.