The Singing Sands. Pt. 2

This is Kyla and Cody, climbing up the first sand dune. This image is worthy of clicking on in order to enlarge it, just to get a sense of the scale of the dune.

Three days later, we were still cleaning sand out of our ears, pockets, and teeth.

There are only 10 sites in the world where the sand can sing: China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. The sounds can range from organ music to jet engine turbines at low idle. Physicists explain it as a combination of dry friction and crystal static electricity at play.

But local ethnic Kazakhs have their own interpretations for the singing. Some assert that there is an evil angel trapped inside while others insist it is an "enchanted beauty."

Others claim that if you reach the top of the highest dune, a "cherished dream" will come true, but if you get lost in the attempt, you are undoubtedly a great sinner. We all made it.

We heard the singing 3 or 4 times, but only for a few seconds. It sounded like something in-between a jet engine and the sound little kids make when they pretend to be ghosts. Rebecca claimed that she felt a micro-wave vibration. The most curious thing was that we couldn't agree on the direction, exactly, of where it was coming from.