The Sahara is pretty unusual for people to drive across or to visit, and there are problems they have to be aware of. In fact, fuel is one of the main problems when crossing the Sahara, because obviously you have to go a very long way from one filling station to the next. You should use a diesel vehicle, because diesel vehicles don't use quite so much fuel for their size as a petrol vehicle.

As for water, an 18-litre container can usually serve two people on a complete Saharan crossing. But in addition to the water needs for drinking, you've got to remember that you need to carry water for the radiator of the car or the vehicle you've got. A major worry, however, is breaking down.

You have to try and be as self-sufficient as you possibly can and foresee everything that could go wrong, and there must be somebody with you who knows how to repair almost anything that can go wrong with a motor vehicle. Camping equipment is another trouble. Well, funnily enough, the Sahara can be everything from cold to incredibly hot.

It depends partly on the time of year. At night in the winter, in other words, winter in the Sahara is the same as a European winter, in December, say, it can get quite cold at night, so you need a good sleeping bag and sweaters.