Have you been in a sandstorm?

@jakill (835)
June 19, 2009 8:13am CST
When we were in Egypt earlier this year, we were sitting outside a restaurant in a tented enclosure beside the Nile. There was a sudden gust of wind and, looking down the river, we saw a big brown cloud coming towards us. The waiters called us to come inside the building and we watched through the windows as everything was blown about. The restaurant staff rushed about bringing everything in and my hubby went out to help them with some large framed photographs behind glass that were in danger of being blown off the walls. The storm lasted for about an hour. As we walked back to our hotel afterwards, we noticed that many of the street light globes were smashed on the floor. I thought it must be very frightening if you experienced that while out in the desert away from any shelter. Have you been in a sandstorm or other freak weather while away from home?
2 people like this
3 responses
19 Jun 09
Hi jakill, No I have never experienced a sandstorm but few years ago we were in Greece on our holday and we were it by heavy storms and floods but the next day, you would have thought we dreamt it all as everything was back to normal as they worked hard to clean the place up and put everything back, also the water receded quick and dryed every drop of water there was, strange. Tamara
@jakill (835)
19 Jun 09
yes that does sound strange, but I suppose we should expect things to be strange to us in foreign lands. In Majorca we walked in dried up river beds that we were told were absolute torrents in winter. We found a small pool full of starving fish. When we threw them some crumbs left over from our picnic, there was a frenzy to grab them. Unfortunately we probably just prolonged their agony. I doubt if they would have survived till the rains came.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
19 Jun 09
I lived on the Mojave desert for many years and we had sand storms every year. You could see them coming and knew to get indoors as soon as possible, if you were driving you had to pull over and wait them out. The home you lived in always had sand in it and in some places you couldn't garden because the plants would be covered with sand and die. It's just something you live with, Mother Nature does what she wants regardless of man.
@jakill (835)
19 Jun 09
Right Pat. You know what it was like then.
@Jenaisle (14079)
• Philippines
19 Jun 09
That's terrible. I only read about sandstorms in books that I read and they were vicious. I would hate that to happen to me when I'm in a foreign land. We often have flash floods and storms here. I hope when you decide to come here, it would during summer, when the weather is great.
@jakill (835)
19 Jun 09
I'll bear that in mind, Jena. Thank you.