Venturing after five years of exploring the desert and embarking on two unforgettable train-hopping adventures on the Sahara railway in Mauritania, I finally witnessed the only passenger train crossing the desert, stationed at Ben Amera, a unique railway services village. This moment was particularly special because the previous journeys on this railway had been some of the most adventurous and thrilling experiences of my life, the first time lasting 21 hours, the second time 12 hours. Standing on the ground with the railway men, rather than atop the wagons, offered a completely different perspective.