Camel ride into the Thar dessert - little bit bumpy!

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It was with mixed feelings that we boarded the bus on our journey to the start of a two hour camel trek into the Thar dessert. After the heat of the heritage hotels (no air conditioning!) we were a bit worried about being out in the direct heat of the dessert for hours on end. Not to mention the whole camel thing! So we were all a bit quiet as we waited to get up on the camels that were waiting for us one by one. And then Tara started shrieking - her camel had just decided to have a piss all over her back, flicking it up with it's tail. It was soooo funny, poor Tara had yellow stains all up her white top.

And so we set off. It turned out my camel was the lead camel so I was up front as we set off into the heat. Fortunately a few clouds in the sky gave us brief spells of relief from the sun and I quited enjoyed getting into the back and forth motion of the camel as it plodded along. It was actually quite similar to the way you rock slightly when riding a horse. Unfortunately the guys weren't fairing so well and found it extremely painful! I have a great picture of Matt sulking which will get added here when I get back home (unfortunately my camera is playing up and photos take too long to load up!). After an hour we had a brief stop then continued along our way. The terrain was sandy and with one dominant plant - giant milkweed. We saw deer again and I also saw what looked liked a fox type animal running across our path. Not sure what it actually was but it definitely had a bushy tail just like a fox but more of a sandy coloured coat.

Eventually, saddle sore, we arrived at the tented camp as the sun was going down. We had large ridge tents with proper beds in and a little bathroom area with proper toilet and basin at the back. We had another lovely meal out under the stars. Again most people went to bed early but I just couldn't waste this amazing opportunity to lie out under the stars. I went up to the top of a rise and lay and watched the starts and moon slowly moving around the night sky. Lying on my back I could almost see a complete 360 degree circle of horizen without moving my head! In the distance I saw a lightening storm but it was so far away the thunder never reached me. There was also the distant rumbling of a night train miles and miles away. Apart from this everything was still, quiet and dark. It was hard to tear myself away but an earlyish start eventually sent me to my bed.

Another highlight - wow what a priviledge to experience India in such a special way.

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Photos

Looking slightly apprehensive!
From left to right - Tara, Carl, Morven, Joe, Harriet and Charlotte.