Photo of the desert near Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, taken last year. Desert such as this was the cradle of the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia as well as the three great monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

People frequently tell you that the desert grows very cold at night, as if in ironic contrast to the daytime heat, but honestly, I don't ever recall feeling that cold when it was night in Dubai or in the surrounding desert. Maybe it depends on the time of year (it was spring), or perhaps it felt more comfortable because Dubai is close to the ocean, with its temperature-moderating effects.

By the way, if you dig deep enough into the sand, you will find a layer of wet sand like that you will find in the beach, hidden under dry sand blown over it by the wind.

I hear that there is a huge dinosaur theme park with lots of animatronics opening in Dubai this year. I think going there would totally own any trip to Disneyland.