Meet Azza Al-Rashidi, an ambitious Saudi woman with a strong sense of adventure. She is a prime example of a true explorer. The unafraid female traveller crossed the empty quarter in 26 days. “I Love of life, I adore it and live it to the fullest. The earth is my starting point, and my ambition goes beyond the sky, determination and confidence paddle my boat in the sea of achievement,” Al-Rashidi told Arab News. “I was born adventurous, I have always had a strong sense of adventure ever since I could remember. I live for such adventures and experiences,” she added. Al-Rashidi said it is every adventurer’s dream to explore the mysterious empty quarter, and that her background in social sciences sparked her curiosity for the desert further. “Standing in the geographical desert of the precious Empty Quarter, learning about its natural environment and discovering its ancient geological history, represents an urgent desire of every traveler and adventurer,” she said “crossing it was a wish fulfilled and my desire to know explore it increased because of my specialization and academic qualifications;  Social sciences, this includes history, and geography, science and sociology.“ The Saudi explorer traveled with Rakayib Caravan. It is the first trip that has been ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to explore the desert after the trip that took place during the ruling of King Abdulaziz in 1932. “Rakaybs first trip is a journey that was ordered by the Crown Prince, to discover the Empty Quarter after the journey that took place in the time of King Abdulaziz in 1932, 88 years ago, by the explorer Harry St. John Bridger Phillby, and to learn about its geographical nature. “From here the convoy set out to cross this desert, which makes up a quarter of the Kingdom’s size, with the follow-up from the Crown Prince and the efforts of the supervisors of the Camel Club and the leader of the trip, Major General Abbdulaziz Al-Obaida, the organizers and collaborators from the Saudi Geological Survey, and the us, 66 adventurers and travelers.” The trip lasted 26 days, and the starting point was Ubar and the end point, Yabreen. 4 days included how to prepare the camel for riding, how to feed it and follow up on providing water for it. The training also included how to use the sleeping bag and the individual tent and learn some words that contribute to the interaction of the camel. “I arrived from Jeddah by plane to Sharorah, Najran and from there I and those who were with me took cars equipped to receive us and transported us to Al-Kharkhir, and then reacher Ubar and then we arrived at the camp Which was prepared for a gathering of participants coming from inside the Kingdom and from outside where 21 foreign countries participated with us from different countries of the world that brought us together with them a love for adventure and a spirit of passion towards achieving the goal.” The participants were divided into 7 groups, and were given instructions and rules, “we set out for a new life in which we adapt to an environment that differs from what we knew and lived in.” They had 3 hiking days and a camping day to rest and recharge, then started the first day by traveling a distance of 15 km by camel and the distance increased from 30 to 45 in the last two days, ending the journey crossing 55 km. Traveling 8 hours a day. The journey started from 7:30 in the morning until sunset, with an hours break at noon “During the trip, we arrived from Ubar to areas of rich mineral water wells in the region, such as Bir Nifa other stations at which the caravan stopped by following its route until we reached Yabreen, it was breathtaking looking at the dimensions of this desert draws me, for its land is the bed of the Tethys Ocean, which has receded during the varying geological times of the earth, leaving evidence of snails, shells, fossils and millions of insects.” “The desert that has the 4 largest sand terrains in the world, whose height reaches between 250 to 300 meters,” she added. At the end of the trip, the adventurers were received by Deputy Emir of the Eastern Province Prince Ahmed bin Fahd bin Salman. She received a certificate of honor, a medal and a Rakayib Caravan medal.