27-Apr-2005 --During a 1-month round trip in Libya, on the way down to the famous volcanic crater Wāw al-Nāmūs, our group visited the 26N 18E degree confluence point. Travelling in a team of 5 people with 3 Land Rover Defender TD5, each car fully equipped with 240 litres of Diesel, water reserves, technical equipment, tools, GPS and laptop with satellite maps, food supply, kitchen and medical equipment, we were prepared for a 8-12 day, approximately 1000 km independent crossing of the Sahara desert.

Coming from Tunisia, we entered Libya at the border post Ra's Ajdīr. Via Ṣabrāta, Tripolis and Waddān, we were heading towards the South. Leaving Zilla, the last civilized village, we passed some oilfields and then drove in a secluded surrounding along the black basalt mountains of Haruj al-Aswad. The terrain was mostly covered with stones and rocks, and, towards the volcanic crater, some parts with the dreaded "fesch-fesch", a very fine dust where the car comes to an immediate stop and gets stuck, and you will be lucky wearing your seat belt!

Coming closer to the confluence 26N 18E point, there were some sand areas, completely flat, allowing speeds up to 80 or 100 km/h, nevertheless demanding a lot of drivers' alertness because of sporadic rocks and ditches.

The area of the point by itself was not really spectacular, just flat in all directions. So we took our pictures, unfortunately not having some champagne to celebrate, and then continued to the next confluence point: 25N 18E.