the edge of the desert

It was not the great silent awesome empty space of some deserts.
It was really bumpy duneland with bedraggled bushes and criss-crossed by tyre tracks.
But the children adored it -- space, sand and dried goat droppings -- what more could they desire.
They occupied themselves for several hours.
We set up a tent in strong wind -- which then considerately died down.
We lit charcoal burners and warmed up the baked potatoes and the (pre-cooked) sausages threaded on a skewer, and chicken wings and hamburgers.
A feast was spread out upon the collapsible tables. Almost nothing got spilt, though sometimes the lemon squash tasted a little sandy...

The sun dropped through a blaze of scarlet and orange. The full moon rose and cast long shadows. In the distance orange lights from a Berber (tourists in the desert) camp lightened the horizon. It was not a lonely desert. A perfect outing for small people.