But it didn't prepare me for the everchanging alien landscape.

This was sci-fi as wish fulfilment, designed to make us feel better about ourselves even as we marvelled at its preposterous alien landscape.

The feeling of remoteness, coupled with the beautiful, alien landscape, was overwhelming for a first-timer.

But chances are, we've never had to fend for ourselves on a scorched alien landscape teeming with ravenous beasties.

Then a 45-minute minibus ride through an alien landscape.