By Lara Vander Ploeg
Each issue, we are privileged to interview inspir-
ing people who are advocates, change-agents,
authors, artists, entertainers, and so many others.
CarlaPerrotti
Every once in a while we meet someone whose
words and experiences touch and stir something
unique and deep within our consciousness. Carla
Carla: Inside the desert there are many sur- ian desert, the red mountain of sand in the Aus-
Perrotti is such a woman. In fact, her words were
prises—the untouched beauty of nature, of the tralia, or the endless flat white plane of salt in
so profound and her person so approachable, we
sunrise and set, of the stars, of the silence, of the Bolivia, everyday of every trip was different and
simply chose to let her words speak to you as
peace, and of the need for so little. picturesque. 
answered.
ADS: So it isn’t just sand, sand, and more sand? ADS: You have now crossed a desert on every
How ironic it is that her life-affirming words
Carla: The beauty of this place is its emptiness
continent – a goal that became a dream for you
come from this woman’s time in the deserts. In-
and its enormity. Many people think of sand
once you started making these treks. Beyond
deed, ‘Lady of the Deserts’ is how she is known in
their steady rhythmic pace. If I have to name one
when they think of the desert.  Yes, there is sand,
simply “checking off the continents,” what did
many places. She has crossed these vast expanses
moment when I fell in love with the desert, this
lots of it, mountains of it. There is white sand,
the preparation, execution, and accomplish-
all over the world, accomplished what some have
would be it. Peace, inspiration, internal wholeness
black sand, fire-colored orange/red sand, cool
ment mean to you?
never done, and dared to create opportunities for
and well being captured in one moment. This is
cream-colored sand, thick grainy sand, fine Carla:It did not start off as a dream or an objec-
others to see the rich beauty and cleansing
when my dream of crossing deserts was born, and
powdery sand. It changes from desert to desert. tive to do ‘One Desert per Continent:’ however,
solitude of the desert. As you read, imagine the
from here, with each crossing, my dreams grew.
Every day presents a new and unique atmos- as I was drawn to different deserts in different
pictures she paints with her words. Imagine the
phere, each with its own challenges. Be it the parts of the world, I decided I would like to see
good that a bit of desert therapy could do for you.
ADS: You have quite an impressive record of
giant white chalky pinnacles of the White Egypt- the vast variety of “desert.”  Each trip took years
crossings behind you. Is that what inspired you
ADS: Carla, what drew you to crossing deserts?
to move from one continent to another? The
Carla: Years ago, on a trip with my family in the
accomplishment itself?
desert, I fell in love with this magical place. One
Carla: I did not start crossing deserts looking to
day when we arrived at camp in the evening, my
achieve new records, conquer feats that no other
young son realized that he had lost his shoe while
person had, or do ‘extreme’ sports.  I started, and
riding on a camel. I decided to go back and look
kept crossing deserts because it brought me
for it on my own. At a certain point I found myself
internal well-being and balance, I learned about
in the middle of the desert, alone in the peaceful
my personal limits, and discovered a strength
silence. A silence so complete it creates sound, a
inside myself I couldn’t have imagined existed.
humming almost. Sitting for a moment in this
ADS: Many think the desert is a barren place,
magical land, I saw a caravan of camels carrying
void of life and beauty. What would surprise
salt in the distance. I watched, mesmerized by
those who adhere to that stereotype?
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