The west to east crossing of the Sahara is not only unusual but dangerous. After Djanet, for a thousand miles you must trust to your own resources-until you reach the Soborom, a little-visited volcanic area in the Tibesti mountains.

Norway has a small human population, living mainly along the coast, so the vast mountain plateaux and the dense forests of the interior are left to the wildlife: the reindeer, the beaver, the fox, and the beautiful snowy owl. After the darkness of winter, every moment of the summer light must be used by the animals to rear their young to a state of independence before the first snow falls and it is winter once again.