Camel safari
After my first camel riding experience in Morocco, I wasn’t keen to get back on one in hurray. However guide books tales of desert safaris, endless sand dunes under star filled skies somehow convinced me to not only get back on a camel but to go on a 2 day safari. Jaisalmer was the base for these trips, a city within a fort that rises up out of the Tharr desert; it’s more of a tourist village now but none less impressive. Massive sand coloured walls and big gates lead the way for winding narrow streets, temples around different corners and of course more things to buy. Found myself a $2 room in a hotel with a beautiful rooftop restaurant that was built into the fortress wall, after checking out a few camel operators I found one that sounded reasonable. Drunk chai with operators to seal the deal and agreed to be there the next morning at 6am for a trip through ‘the amazing dessert and inforgettable dunes” according to their sign outside. Managed to spend too much money buying too many things again but did find a few very well stocked bookshops so stocked up on a bit of reading material.
Early next morning I meet up with the other 3 chicks on the safari. 2 English girls traveling together and an Australian who manages one of the biggest hostels in Sydney (scored cheap accommodation there when I need it!) Between us we must have traveled just about everywhere so spent a lot of time telling crazy travel stories and swapping ideas and plans. Our 2 day journey started with a drive out to meet the guide and the camels. Had breakfast while our camels were loaded up then it was time to get on. The worst part of riding a camel is the getting on and off part as they lurch forward and back when sitting, standing, and you’ve got to hold on tight and hopefully stay on. It turned out to be not quite as bad, the camels were very obedient and knew exactly where they were going most of the time. We were even given charge of the reins and could make them go faster if wanted (not wanted as the faster they go, the bouncier it is…and more painful).
Camels really are hilarious, they all their own personalities, like mine couldn’t handle the flies and spent the whole time rubbing its head on the bums of other camels trying to get them off. And then there was the aptly named Buddha, who just walked calmly and didn’t really care about much. They smell and fart and poo everywhere, they’re awkward and kind of like real life cartoon animals. It’s very entertaining.
So we made our way across the desert, not really endless sand dunes, more like patchy bush and farmland. Stopping for a few awkward-I feel-like-a-useless-stupid-tourist villages visits, where chai was plentiful even though unwanted in the heat. So stomachs churning with too many glasses of chai we bounced along further. Stopping for a very long relaxing lunch break in the shade while our fantastic guide Ali-Baba and a few others cooked us amazing food and ensured we didn’t move off our cushioned lunch area.
We reached the dunes in the late afternoon, really more of a small patch of sand rather then endless but still pretty cool and looked impressive in photos!
We watched the sunset, entertained children, which always appeared out of nowhere whenever we stopped, and then sat down for more amazing food and tea. We spent a lot of the time watching the shooting stars before setting up for sleep right in the dunes under the stars, it was incredible! Despite the dogs running circles around us about 3am slept well and woke just in time to see the sun come up over the hill.
Much of the same desert scene and village thing the next day, and by lunch we were ready to go home and ended up going back earlier with the English girls who had a train. 2 days definitely enough, don’t know how people could do the weeklong or even 30 day safaris they offer.
So back to Jaisalmer, for the night. Had dinner with Helen the Australian and an early night to get up and catch my 6am bus to Pushkar.
Tags: India, Photos, Travel, Videos
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