One of the few upsides of surviving on the bare minimum is the absence of "modern" distractions, giving Les time for reflection on life in the wild. He's pretty diligent about recording the hardship and wonder he finds "out there" and during his brief returns to civilization, Les posts dispatches on his blog.

Here are some excerpts from Survivorman's latest round of wilderness challenges in the Kalahari Desert.

And don't miss this episode on Science Channel! Check the Schedule.

Kalahari Desert
Day 2 — Nighttime

Wow!

That’s really all I can say! 65°C (149°F) in the sun on the sand and 42° C (107.6°F) in the shade! I sat in the shade and the temperature I took on the sand was only two feet away from where I hid.

That! Was intense. Most of the day I sat in the small amount of shade of a camel thorn tree and tried not to overheat. Heat cramps, exhaustion or stroke would end this survival ordeal pretty quickly. It honestly felt like being in a slow cooker — it was unbelievable. There is no running around in the desert or jumping from dune to dune or rock to rock at these temperatures — that would be suicide. Even the Bushmen of the Kalahari sit still during the day — and there’s a reason for that.

I tried to do the odd thing to keep my mind occupied. I made a fire bundle for transporting fire if I can get it. I made a pronged spearhead for hunting birds and snakes. I made some slit goggles like they do to prevent snow blindness — the glare of the sun off the sand is dangerous.

In between each activity I could only lie still and hope that I was not flirting with heat exhaustion or dehydration. The clouds finally moved in late in the day and I could see thunderstorms in the distance. But they would not be for me. I was desperate to feel the clouds open up and empty their rain upon me – but no such luck …

For the full story, go to Les Stroud's Official Blog.