Spitting Camels

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(Ruta writing) It is fascinating to watch camels walk the streets, either transporting items, people, or walking in herds. They are very large animals and have content, laid back perpetual expressions on their faces. Their gait is distinctive and seemingly laid back when compared to the poor ever-present donkeys carrying their large loads back and forth.

In Axum, a tourist hawker had approached us to give our kids a ride on a camel. Deciding that quoted price was too expensive, but the idea of a camel ride was seeded. Enroute to the next city, our driver pulled over to the side of a road, asked the local camel herder if he wanted to make some money, and voila! For a fraction of the original price, we rode his camel and he probably made a few weeks salary in less than an hour. A large group of locals gathered to watch us quizzically and wonder aloud why we wanted to ride the camels. Tadas entertained them further by “talking” to the camel by imitating the camel’s loud sounds and facial expressions. It was fun!

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