Oases are in short places of water supply right in the middle of a desert. The sources can be wells in the mountains, leading to sources in areas where agriculture is easy. Or the sources may be underground, leading by canals to the surface. There are not many things more fascinating than the true oasis, the place where the extremes of human existence meets in a clash of colours. In some cases the shift between the two can be so immediate that you can place one foot in a dune and the other in a green garden. Unfortunately, the true oasis is hard to come by, and modern ages with its roads, pollution, housing projects and reclamation projects haven't helped. Libya is among the countries in North Africa where you can see the true oasis. The easiest of oases to get to are Ghadames and Houn, both very interesting and with fascinating local architecture. More dramatic, though are the oases that involve some travelling. In the east, both Awjila and al-Jaghbub are fine. In the Fezzan region, the Ubari Lakes are perhaps the most beautiful of their kind in all of North Africa. Even further south, Ghat in the southwestern corner of Libya is like entering a whole different country in itself. Which is closer to the truth than many visitors are aware of. In the middle of Libya, the oasis of Zuwayla is another example of a world set apart.
