The Thar Desert

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The trip into the desert on camels deserves a post of its own, even if only to give our kids a laugh.

We hadn't really planned this trip so we didn't leave time for it in our planning. Pat has been talking for a long time about a camel trip through Jordan and that is still on the agenda - more or less. She may have thought that a couple of days on camels would just whet the appetite.

We were trucked out into the bush from Jaisalmer about 40 kms. We didn't go to the normal places that tourists are taken, apparently, and we actually didn't come across many other groups wandering around. The cost for us was a little higher than for other trips but I don't think that any of us would have swapped what we had for what we heard about from others.

Basically, the deal is that you are loaded on to camels. Only one camel in our group was trusted to look after its rider. The rest were led. We headed into the desert. Found some decent dunes. Not lots mind you but enough to give you the feeling. The rest of the country is much like Central Australia in a bad year. They haven't had rain out here for 3 years and it shows.

Camels are not fun to ride. The saddles don't have stirrups, or at least ours didn't. After a while it was hell on your quads and thighs. And they do fart a lot particularly when they are in front of you.

A very nice campfire but nothing like the ones we are used to. None of this gathering a massive pile of wood and feeding it through the night. No, here you light just enough of a fire to cook and then keep it going stick by measly stick to maintain heat. Then you ensure it goes out.

We slept on the sand after having a bit of a concert which was joined by a group from across the dunes where they didn't have any decent singers.

Next morning up and into the saddle again. Thighs and quads complained but you either rode or walked and off we went.

A very nice interlude. No shops. No museums. No forts. No palaces. Now if they just let us ride horses I would have kept going.

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Photos

Lawrence Ready to Ride
Pat needed practice on tying of turbans and Tony needed a turban to keep the sun off his neck. Couldn't do much about the nose.

Trish on Camel
Her cameleer had reasonable English and was able to provide good info.

Pat on Camel
Its mame was Raghu and it was 'pretty' and very tractable.

Barnes on Camel
It was the best of the camels and except for an inordinate amount of farting it did a very good job.

Women on Camels
In this country they really should have been walking but we let them ride as a special favour

Desert Developing
Dunes are gradually encroaching on what was farming land

Now Where Are We?
It was difficult - until we found the road over to the back of us, but a long way off.

Cooking
Not on a large roaring fire but one stick at a time. Very precise and just enough to ensure that there was the right amount of heat.

Sunset
and if you would like more there are mobs of them - big mobs.

More Cooking
and it was a lovely feed at least as good as some of the restaurants we have been to.

Singing
Mr Singh was an excellent singers although his back up not so. Bohemian Rhapsody wasn't too bad but the singers of Flower of Scotland did OK - if I do say so myself.

Tony and Padma
Checking directions. Luckily Padma won out.

No Tourists, Not Today
She just is not interested

Lady in the Desert
She had to walk over a km for water who knows how many times a day but still looked great.

David on Camel
and looks the part I reckon - although without turban.

Dismount
Not quite so elegant but at least I didn't pitch forward and end up on the sand.

Comments

[Sarah]

Chuckling, definitely.