Searching for the true meaning of travel in the Arabian desert

What does travel mean to you?

As workawayers, we just can’t help but look for unforgettable experiences and meaningful connections wherever our wandering feet take us. This time, we’re getting a peek into life in the Arabian desert, with the company of a local host and the travel tribe we’ve found along the way!

“Sometimes you can get caught in that trap of forcing yourself to see as many things as possible. Whereas with Workaway you can take the time to pause and really get to know one spot and one group of people,” says Workawayer, Taur, from Australia. Taur answered the call of the desert with the aim to create a unique travel experience that offers slower, deeper, and the opportunity to form incredible friendships like no other.

Working on an eco-building project in the desert together, 6 Workaway travellers from different parts of the world crossed paths. This offered them a chance to slow down, discover a different way of life, and create something great and long-lasting together. 

“We look for a place where people are a little bit crazy and different. We wanted to see the difference between home and here,” says Aghila from Germany, on why she decided to embark on this faraway adventure. "While it’s often easy to meet people while travelling, we rarely get the chance to sit down, spend entire evenings exchanging life experiences and cultures, and work on something meaningful that we are all passionate about together."

Activities with our Workaway host in the desert included, building an eco-house with mud and other sustainable materials by day, followed by sharing traditional tagines and local art, and enjoying music around a campfire by night – as Tiago from Brazil says, he and his newfound travel tribe are “just enjoying a different pace, a different way of living… while at the same time having time to reflect".

"I’m knowing people, I’m knowing countries, new cultures, new food, new music, new everything, but I’m having time to be in touch with myself!” 

One of the most incredible things about slow travel and going off the beaten track is that when we arrive at a beautiful place and meet the special people that you can truly connect with, you realize what matters the most are beyond tourist attractions and itineraries, but the small meaningful moments and memories you will be sharing and creating together.

Whether you’re a student who is looking to do something different on your gap year, a nomadic family hoping to share the world’s beauty with your little ones, or a professional taking a career break; the world is filled with possibilities that will surely bring us life-changing experiences that we’ll cherish our whole lives.