[FONT="]I felt as though I had been wondering aimlessly out here for days as the seconds and minutes stretched on under the relentless heat of the Australian outback sun, but as sure as I could be according to my watch it had been no more than a few hours since everything went wrong this morning. The search for my car I felt would be in vain![/FONT]
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[FONT="]I awoke to the unbearable howling and hissing wind spraying sand across my modest little tent with such force as to break the poles supporting its frail frame as I quickly scrambled out of my fast disappearing tent I was unable to grab my orienteering equipment or any food supplies. [/FONT]
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[FONT="]I got to my feet and ran, glancing back to see my tent being completely swallowed by the unforgiving sands of the desert. I took shelter behind a large cluster of rocks and as I waited for the sand storm to pass with the pelting sand embedding itself within me it was gone almost as quickly as it had come leaving me with an unrecognisably surrounding, everything completely altered.[/FONT]
[FONT="]My mouth was harsh with the grit of the sand grinding away at my teeth and carpeting along far down my throat but I wouldn’t dare of greedily cleansing myself of this discomfort with what little water I had in my canteen, I frank from its rejuvenating depths sacrilegiously, savouring what little amount I treated myself too, I knew it would not last me the day but this thought wasn’t the worst of my worries as the sun let its presence be felt ever stronger with its roar of sunshine growing stronger with each minute. I desperately need to find shade and escape its burning gaze.[/FONT]
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[FONT="]Finding my car seemed like a long shot without my orienteering equipment but if I made it to the night I could use my knowledge of the stars to guide me there, all I needed now was a single blessing of shelter of some description and as every step grew agonisingly harder I thought the end was near when off into the distance I could see a tall figure reaching up into the heavens and with the inspiration it gave me I pushed on towards it.[/FONT]
[FONT="]A tall tree stripped bare of any leaves or bark by the heat and sandpaper like winds of the desert, stood tall and proud the tree offering but one solitary beam of shade, I cherished its charity towards me and as I buckled over against its strong support I let myself slip into unconsciousness.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]I awoke to the unbearable howling and hissing wind spraying sand across my modest little tent with such force as to break the poles supporting its frail frame as I quickly scrambled out of my fast disappearing tent I was unable to grab my orienteering equipment or any food supplies. [/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]I got to my feet and ran, glancing back to see my tent being completely swallowed by the unforgiving sands of the desert. I took shelter behind a large cluster of rocks and as I waited for the sand storm to pass with the pelting sand embedding itself within me it was gone almost as quickly as it had come leaving me with an unrecognisably surrounding, everything completely altered.[/FONT]
[FONT="]My mouth was harsh with the grit of the sand grinding away at my teeth and carpeting along far down my throat but I wouldn’t dare of greedily cleansing myself of this discomfort with what little water I had in my canteen, I frank from its rejuvenating depths sacrilegiously, savouring what little amount I treated myself too, I knew it would not last me the day but this thought wasn’t the worst of my worries as the sun let its presence be felt ever stronger with its roar of sunshine growing stronger with each minute. I desperately need to find shade and escape its burning gaze.[/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
[FONT="]Finding my car seemed like a long shot without my orienteering equipment but if I made it to the night I could use my knowledge of the stars to guide me there, all I needed now was a single blessing of shelter of some description and as every step grew agonisingly harder I thought the end was near when off into the distance I could see a tall figure reaching up into the heavens and with the inspiration it gave me I pushed on towards it.[/FONT]
[FONT="]A tall tree stripped bare of any leaves or bark by the heat and sandpaper like winds of the desert, stood tall and proud the tree offering but one solitary beam of shade, I cherished its charity towards me and as I buckled over against its strong support I let myself slip into unconsciousness.[/FONT]