Living in a desert is new to me. I'm from the rural South, so I can handle hot weather. And I went to school in the Midwest where it was dry fairly often, especially in the winter. But hot and dry together is a whole different beast.
Fuerteventura has a semi-arid climate, which means that while we do get some rain here, it's mostly dry throughout the year. I've been here for about a month and a half, and we have had two days with rain. And those were just sprinkles in the afternoon.
What's amazing to me about the island, though, is how different each part can be. On one block, you can be on a beach, feet in the sand or water, relaxing. But just a couple of miles inland will bring you to a beautiful hiking trail. A few more miles and you will be on a mountain.
The whole island, though, is united by one thing. It is very windy. (Fuerteventura can be translated rougly to "strong wind"). Especially in the afternoons, the breeze that blows across the ocean from the Sahara Desert can be strong and warm. That sounds nice--sitting on the beach enjoying the sun but not getting too hot from it. But the breeze is very sandy. There is even a special name for the weather pattern that happens when the winds from the desert are extra warm and sandy.
