Arita Baaijens is an explorer, writer, biologist, mountaineer and WINGS Fellow. At a private cocktail event hosted in NYC this past January, Arita shared with us some of what she has learned over her 25 desert expeditions on camel throughout Egypt and Sudan. She answered questions on what she has learned from those expeditions and how they have made her a better explorer. She also shared a sneak preview of her upcoming expedition to Papua New Guinea and her plan for collecting stories and experiences. Arita was the first woman to cross the Western Desert of Egypt solo on camel. She uses storytelling as a powerful tool to reach people and create a 2-way flow of ideas, knowledge, skills and experience. Her latest book, Search for Paradise, is currently on the best seller list in The Netherlands.