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Headline: Sudan Pyramids Look Like Martian Landscape

Caption: Are there pyramids on Mars? These amazing images of otherworldly structures look as if they were taken by the Mars Rover. Instead they show the rarely-visited ancient pyramids of Sudan in a sandstorm. They were taken last month (in May) by Cici, one of the few foreign visitors to the beleaguered region. However, the sandstorm was so strong, it broke her camera. Cici, from Nanjing, China, is on a gap year, and couldn't resist visiting the collection of nearly 200 ancient pyramids, many of which are the tombs for the kings and queens of the Meroitic Kingdom, which ruled the area for more than 900 years. Sudan reportedly receives fewer than 15,000 tourists per year, so Cici's late afternoon visit meant she was only the fourth foreign visitor that day. The Meroe pyramids are smaller than those in Egyptian cousins,and were built between 2,700 and 2,300 years ago. She explains: "After the entering the site, I found that I was the only one in these Nubian pyramids. Unlike the super touristic Giza pyramids in Egypt, here you have no staff, no police, not even one camel tour guide. What a great chance to have this magic place all to myself. "At first, the weather was bright and sunny. As I climbed up the sand dune, a huge orange cloud began to block the sun. Sandstorm was on its way. It was time to go back before the storm got worse, but I did not realise that. Instead, I continued my adventure and went inside one of the pyramids to appreciate the carving. "At sunset, the pyramids, desert and sky looked so mysterious with an intoxicating colour in the sandstorm. Such a perfect photo. I quickly took my camera, and stormed out of the pyramid to capture this incredible moment. I tried my best to take a handful of photos from different angles, forgetting my equipment was all not sand-proof. From the photos, it looks like an amazing place to explore. Honestly speaking, it was not that cool at all behind the scenes. "Sandstorm at its peak, the wind got so much stronger, messing up my hair like crazy. Numerous sands were hitting my face, going inside my ears, my eyes and my nostrils. In the well-zipped bag, the food were also attacked by all those tiny little sands, unfortunately so were my phones and camera: my poor camera was finally game over due to these monster sands. "Due to the heavy sandstorm, what could have been a pleasant historical sightseeing trip had turned into a hectic battle of run-and-hide. I had to run as fast as possible from one pyramid to another to hide... At that moment, they were not merely the important historical spots, they were so important to me as the shelter, where I could take a break from the storm. Fortunately, thanks to the ancient ancestors, here lies the largest concentration of pyramids, I had 200 places to take shelter. "The sandstorm lasted long enough, my excitement turned into anxiety. Although I am not a superstitious person, however staying inside the pyramid for a long time totally alone was weird. Plus, the orange weather outside added a bizarre atmosphere, giving an illusion that the kings may return back to pyramids any time. I was feeling completely helpless, I was really wishing I could find someone besides me, but there was no-one. It seemed there was no end for the sandstorm, and at some point, I felt like I had to to stay inside the pyramid forever. "Every summer, there are sandstorms happening in this area of Sudan. It may not be the best time to visit Meroe, but it is definitely a unique experience to remember."

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