[Hordriss]

Hard to know what is and what isn't a lie with old Ben, but he may have felt disinclined to tell Sayid his real means of escape. When I think about it, if he'd been somewhere very cold (hence the Parka), that alone might explain why he would be steaming if he instantly appeared in the Sahara (though, in reality, the steam would probably vaporise almost instantly in the heat and not be visible at all, but that wouldn't look as cool). This must surely link in with the remains of the Dharma polar bear unearthed by Charlotte Lewis, though if future-Ben is responsible for that it would hint that the future characters actions can have bearings on the present and past situations... as if this show wasn't complicated enough already.