Have you ever seen something in the movies, on the internet or in pictures and said to yourself, “One of these days, I’m totally doing that!” That day finally happened. This time, it was setting out on camelback through a desert. The romanticism of riding along sand dunes like Lawerence of Arabia seems like a nice dream event, doesn’t it?
Today, was that day. Saddling up at 10:30am, our destination is our tent camp some number of kilometers away. Camels are a way of life in the desert, so I don’t mind riding them. They provide pack mule-like help and are well equipped to withstand extreme heat in these harsh environments – I found that they have a huge sweat gland right behind their head. Dromedaries or one-hump camels are most common – especially in this part of the world where rider is in front of their hump and a second rider in back (of the hump) – kinda makes sense as I’d hate to be the one on top of that hump. From a clippity-clop trot to a steady and rhythmic gallup, you learn quickly how to ride each gait accordingly – more out of self preservation than anything else. Preservation of your seat bone, muscles and much more, that is.
White bangles signify mourning of a loved one. 
Always under cloak 
Roti making Multitasking 
Fast forward 6+ hours, with a couple of breaks later (off camel), we reach our camp near 5pm. That’s a long day in the hot desert sun! (PSA) If you ever find yourself traipsing through the desert, I highly recommend wearing long sleeve and long pants with a good SPF, a brimmed hat with an added bonus of a neck gator soaked in water to keep your temperature in check. I had re-soaked mine 3 times as it dried out a few times along the way. I made this call and boy, I’m glad I did – it saved me from getting sun burnt and overheating. It was about 90*f this time of year with no shade and usually pushes north of 130*f during the hotter months.
Music soothes the soul 
Sheep Herder 
Some say it’s not the destination, but the journey that’s most rewarding. I usually subscribe to this in most cases, but in this case, I’d have to dispel that notion as the air conditioned tent complete with veranda out front and an attached bathroom/shower area was an oasis for sure! The tent was like 20’x20’ with a king size bed! I guess you’ve just got to try some things once, eh? Traditional folk music and dance was a nice ending to a hot, bumpy and wayward journey through the Thar Desert not far from the Pakistan border. Would I do it again. Certainly not. Am I glad I did it? Yep. Some things are best done once to savor the experience and save important body parts from further dismay.
