Desert Journal

In the Desert Chapter of Survivng the Extremes, Dr. Kamler tells us the story of a Italian policeman, Mauro Prosperi, who found himself lost after a sandstorm interrupted the Ultramarathon of Sands in the Sahara Desert. He survived for nine days by himself with just drops of water left in his water bottle and no food. When he was found, he lost 33 pounds, and he also needed to replace 4 gallons of water that he lost. His skin was so dry that water couldn't be absorbed by it right away. His throat and mouth were swollen to the point where he couldn't swallow or talk. Military doctors in Morocco said it was impossible to survive for more than five days in the desert without supplies, and they postulated that he must have been taken in, somewhat restored, and reentered civilization with a dramatic story to tell. Could he possibly live that long without the most important essentials to sustain human life? Kamler tells the amazing story of how he did it, and I created a daily journal of what he did each day he was stranded.

Day 1

Today was the first day on my own out in the Sahara Desert. The rules of run stated that if any runner was to become lost, we are supposed to stay put where are and wait for
rescue. I did. A rescue helicopter passed overhead, and I waved and waved, but it didn’t see me. I finished my last bit of water today. I don’t know what I’m going to do about water. When I’m finished with this journal, I think I’m going to pee in my bottle to recycle my fluids. It won’t taste good when I drink it, but I must do anything and everything to live. I can and will survive. I will survive.


Day 2

I woke this morning and gazed in the distance; what I saw was very disappointing: a barren wasteland with nothing in site besides rolling dunes of sand. I knew I couldn’t stay here because the sun would roast me alive or I would die of starvation. After hours of walking, I finally spotted a small Muslim shrine in the distance. I was extremely lucky I found it, but unlucky because it was completely empty. It didn’t take too long for me to discover I was the only organism taking shelter in that shrine. There was a colony of bats in the shrine. I instantly thought food. I grabbed two bats and broke their necks. After I sucked the bats dry for water, I ate them raw. The taste was horrendous, but it was food. I started to feel more and more like a predator. I am going to rest up tonight in the shrine and tomorrow I will figure out what to do. I will survive.


Day 3

Today I created a SOS in the sand for planes to see. I also placed my Italian flag outside on a post just in case someone will luckily come by. I made some useful observations during the day when I was outside. These observations were about the effects of heat during the day. My muscles started to kind of convulse or shake during the day when I was outside. I also discovered that my heart started to beat faster when I was just sitting outside; this made me conclude that the chemical reactions in my body speed up when it’s hot. So this must mean, at night when it is cold, the chemical reactions slow down along with my heart rate. After a while, I realized that I can’t be out here too long because I sweat, and when I sweat, I lose water. I can’t lose water. I will…


Day 4

I really don’t know what happened last night. I woke up this morning and my wrists were slit. I was finishing up my journal, and I don’t remember what happened after that. That must be another effect of heat on the body; confusion, fainting, and maybe suicidal thoughts or actions? Luckily I fainted inside, so the sun wouldn’t kill me. Anyway, a plan flew over this morning, but unfortunately didn’t see my SOS or my Italian flag. After I gave up on waving, the mountains off in the distance sparked something in my mind. I remembered that the race ends at the base of those mountains! I must head there, and I will be rescued! I will walk during sunset and sunrise, and rest at night to cool my body off; I will also rest during the day in shade, so I don’t dehydrate or roast myself alive. I will lick rocks for water in the morning, and I will suck the water out of any plants that I can find to stay hydrated. I ate some beetles that weren’t actually that bad. “Slimy yet satisfying”; Simba was right! (Lion King reference) I also ate a mouse that I killed with a slingshot made from a bungee cord and stick. I will survive.


Day 5

Today I felt the real effects of the desert. I swear I spotted water ahead of me as I was progressing towards the mountains. I moved toward it, and it remained there, however, I knew it might not be real. I remained hopeful though as I progressed towards the water. As I got to it, the water disappeared. It was a mirage. Stupid me. I wasted a lot of energy trying to get to that for nothing. I became stressed. My heart started to beat faster, and I started to sweat. I was losing even more water. I calmed myself down. I remembered back in college when we learned about stress: Stress enhances danger to survive. Stress causes the endocrine system to release adrenaline which makes your heart beat faster and you start sweating. Sweating requires more water. Chaperone proteins are used to respond to rising levels in stress, starvation, sleep deprivation, and vigorous exercise. That is why vigorous exercise relieves the mental stress on the nervous system so well.


Day 6

I really have nothing to talk about today. I am becoming extremely lonely. I have been finding myself talking to myself a lot. When I sleep, I dream of my family and their beautiful faces. I miss them, and the times we had together. Oh my, I need to stop otherwise I’m going to cry and lose even more water. I just need to keep my head and get to the mountains.

Day 7

I don’t know how much more I can take of this. I know I should be dead right now, but miraculously, I’m alive. I’m starting to think surviving isn’t worth the pain I’m in. The mountains are becoming close…I think. I’m giving myself to day 10 before I finally decide whether or not to give up. I found a couple beetles today and ate them. I haven’t found water for days, and my urine is starting to take an effect on me. I think I figured out some reasons as to why I survived this long: My endurance training strengthened my cardiovascular system to require less pumping to maintain blood flow. It also enhances my liver’s ability to convert glycogen to glucose. My muscles contract smoothly which conserves energy. The energy saved reduces heat buildup. My training also made it easier for his blood to flow to the surface for cooling and reach the deep organs for nourishment.


Day 8

As I am writing this, I am periodically licking a puddle of water in a wadi! When I first discovered it, I drank it, but I threw up. I think I threw up because my throat and mouth were so dang swollen. That really hurt my throat because it was scratchy and all. I never thought muddy water tasted so good! My moral has been boosted exceptionally! I’m staying here all day and night to drink. Tomorrow is another day, and we’ll see what happens. I am surviving.

Day 9

This will be my very last journal entry. I came across fresh goat droppings and a small human footprint! I continued on and later came across a Tureg girl. She was very little. She screamed at me and ran away. I wouldn’t blame her though. I lost at least 30 to 40 pounds, and I probably look hideous. I tried to speak but nothing came out because my throat was so swollen. He reappeared with what seemed to be her grandmother. They kindly led me to their camp. Apparently I’m in Algeria now. They first took me by camel than a car to an Algerian Hospital. I survived…