After 2 days exploring Taif, Mark and the team, like Philby before them are full of the hustle and bustle of the urban area and are yearning for the open space of the desert again.

Skirting round Mecca, they travel through Wadi Al Laimun, the valley of the lemons. Meeting a local they discover his grandfather met and talked to Philby as he passed through the wadi. Mark compares his own description of the valley to Philby’s writings – both conjure beautiful images, smells and sights of the great barrier that separates Jeddah from the rest of Arabia.

Tomorrow the Heart of Arabia Expedition team will descend to the flatlands of Jeddah and dip their toes into the Red Sea.

Expedition website: The Heart of Arabia Expedition

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The Heart of Arabia Expedition podcast is produced by Adventurous Audio