I wanted to be in the desert for my birthday. The profound silence, the shimmering sand dunes, the mid-night sky, the colors that change throughout the day. It intrigued me!! Even though going to the Sahara is completely impractical, I was willing to bear the 10 hour drive (each way) across Morocco to get there. The Agafay desert (rocks not sand) lies a mere hour outside of Marrakech, but I envisioned riding camels high along the tangerine dunes while watching the sun slowly set. Unfortunately, my desert dream — was more like a desert disaster — so here are things I wished I’d known before I booked this extravagant excursion.