Now it's time for us to relax. The camels are arriving and there is a mixture of excitement and trepidation amongst the group. We all want a camel ride, but will our bums cope? What will it be like riding in such intense heat?
We get a quick camel riding:101 lesson and then off we go to pick a camel. A camel boy picks me out and takes me to his camel. Dolly. It's love at first sight, she's gorgeous...and has a little baby which i promptly nickname Ava and give her a nuzzle.
Mounting the camel is harder than it looks, but Im up and we are away! We are a camel train of about 11 plus a cart kitted out with our very own musicians! A drummer and guy on a harmonian (a bit like an accordion) play out the soundtrack to our desert safari. The pace is slow and the weather hot.
We pass through lots of little villages, it looks like such a harsh existence. This area used to thrive on agriculture, but global warming has killed all of this off. The local people don't believe in global warming but think the gods are angry and believe things will get better.
Children hear the music and race through the fields to wave at us. We stop at a dry-bed lake for lunch (and wish it was filled with water!) Our crew set us up under shady trees where we eat and rest the day away, waiting for some relief from the harsh sun.
We are back on the camels about 3pm for a couple or hours before reaching our camp destination. Fresh tea is waiting for us, along with our tents all assembled. So spoiled.
Camping in the desert is something very special, the sky is just so vast and filled lavishly with stars, you barely need a torch at night.
After some music and dancing by the fire, its time for bed and we all wander how our bums and legs will fare in the morning.
