I had to learn that the only defense against the sand was to become one with it. I shall have more to say about sand later. In the Sahara all wildlife is activated by the never ending struggle to obtain and retain water. All plants and animals have evolved ingenious methods for maintaining adequate water supplies. For example, the addux antelope gets all the moisture it requires from the scattered vegetation it feeds on - it never drinks.
Camels are the very epitome of desert adaptation.
They have very fat toes that provide flotation for walking on sand. When a camel becomes dehydrated, it adjusts the volume of the vascular system to reduce the load on its heart. Thus, a camel without water will lose only a thousandth of its body weight through daily urination. It hardly sweats at all. Similarly, there are logistical problems to overcome like obtaining fuel, food, water, spare parts, and mechanical repairs as well as coping with the bureaucratic conditions of African border crossings.