This is the kind of activity I would consider briefly, pre – holiday, and then dismiss on the grounds that I am neither young enough, nor fit enough, nor adventurous enough. The problem was that I was travelling with my daughter (who is young , fit and adventurous) and my husband (who is fit, foolhardy and adventurous) so it seemed I was going on a camel safari in the Thar desert in Rajhastan. Not even my two broken toes were getting me out of this one.
We were collected from our hotel in Jaisalmer at 3pm. We were joined by two other tourists – a wandering young French man and a female government official from Mozambique. it would take about an hour in a jeep to reach the desert followed by a two hour camel trek tot he camp. It didn’t sound that bad. But it was 43 degrees and there was no air con in the Thar Desert.
The jeep ride was hot and bumpy. We stopped to visit an abandoned village. Apparently a few hundred years ago a court minister had wanted to marry a village girl who was very beautiful. The village leader refused but knew that the inevitable punishment would be brutal. So in the middle of the night, the entire village packed up and sneaked off. No-one has ever lived there since. it was an interesting stop off but despite drinking gallons of water, i was really flagging in the heat.
It wasn’t long before we reached the camel car park. Trust me, they look much bigger the closer you get. I think I expected a short safety briefing, some instructions/guidance and possibly a wee parachute or safety harness to make me feel better. What happened was a leg up and an introduction to my beast, named Johnny Walker. I perched precariously on the kneeling camel and gripped the tiny holding post at the front of the saddle. Time for the safety briefing. “Hold on,” said Hunni the guide. Yes, that was it, in it’s entirety.
At this point Johnny (I felt we should be on first name terms) lurched to his feet. I felt very high up. Somewhere behind me, Gemma and Stuart were getting to grips with Al Pacino and Rambo but I was too unsteady to turn around. Eventually we set off.
How to describe the sensation of camel riding? it’s a bit like being on the back of a giant horse that sways from side to side as it moves forward. I actually felt a bit seasick. Maybe that’s they’re called ships of the desert.
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