Into the Desert...on Camel's Back

Riding on a camel through the desert has always been on my "to do" list. Well, sort of. I mean, how cool is it to ride on the great beasts of the arid land? Traveling by camel always conjures up images of wild adventures: of merchants carrying the finest silk, tea, and spices from Asia, through the starry Arabian nights, on the silk route to the West; or the biblical scene of the three wise men bringing their gifts to the new born King. But none of these images in my mind could ever have prepared me for how much my butt would hurt after just 15 minutes on the camel!

Traveling by camel is decidedly NOT the most comfortable way to cross a desert! First, camels are slow. While they can run and trot for short periods of time, they generally walk at a pace akin to a human’s stroll, and every step seems to send a jolt up your tailbone (and other male anatomy parts) into your spine! Now don’t even ask me what happens when they trot!!! Second, whenever you need to get on or off a camel, you have to make them sit down on their knees. And anytime this happens, you feel like you’re about to be thrown face-first into the sand. You have to lean back, and the lean forward, as the front legs buckle and the camel rests on its front knees first before sitting down on its hind legs. So…is this how it feels like to ride on a mechanical bull in a bar? And third, camels, unlike horses, are not very responsive to their rider’s commands. They tend to just do what they please. Camel’s mind: “Mmmm, that thorny bush over there looks delicious! I’m going over there to have a taste!” And no amount of tugging at the reigns will make it change its course.

But aside from a bruised butt and hopefully non-permanent minor damage to my other parts, the two day one night Camel Safari trip was a blast! Together with five other travelers Bron and I met along the way, we spent the mornings and late afternoons trekking across sand dunes and past remote villages on our camels. The peacefulness of the desert contrasted sharply with the rest of India. Broken only by the rhythmic thuds as camel footpads hit the soft sands, and the occasional camel grunts. The hottest part of the day was spent under the shade of a tree: napping, chatting and eating a wonderful lunch prepared by our guide.

  

In the evening, we arrived at a pristine sand dune, which would be our camp for the night. The soft desert sand was like fresh powder on a ski slope! The day was capped off as the sun made its exit, giving us one last fiery burst of orange glow as it slowly descended over the barren horizon.

Later that night, by a campfire, we had the most delicious meal cooked by Mr. Desert himself! Amid laughter and awe, he told us of his humble beginnings as a truck driver, to four-time Mr. Desert winner. Then as if turned onby a flick of a switch, the heavens lit up with a million stars. Truly spectacular!

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Mr. Desert!

Walk into Sahara Travels right outside the fort gates in Jaisalmer, India, and you would be greeted by a huge poster for Jaisalmer Cigarettes. In the poster, a man stands gazing off into the distance, with a full beard, an up-curled mustache, a colorful turban and a pair of piercing hazel-blue eyes.

We had come to Sahara Travels because the "bible" of budget travel, Lonely Planet, had recommended them to be one of the best Camel Safari outfitters in Jaisalmer. "Hello!" A voice booms from the left. In the corner a man is pulling himself off a day bed. He had been watching an old television set tucked in a corner. Slowly walking towards a desk under the cigarette poster, he tells us to sit, smiling and casually waving towards two mismatching chairs. There, in front of us was a man...a full beard, an up-curled mustache, a pair of piercing hazel-blue eyes.
"Wait a minute, is that you in the poster?"
"Yes, that is me." reaching out to shake our hands, "I'm Mr. Desert. What can I do for you?"

Mr. Desert; Bollywood star; model; face of Coke in India; and local celebrity. The story of Mr. Desert goes back to 1988, when the city of Jaisalmer held its first ever Mr. Desert competition (sort of a beauty pageant for men) as part of the Desert Festival. A young truck driver took part that year, and won! After winning the "Mr. Desert" title for the second time in 1989, he decided to leave his truck driving days and join the growing tourism industry in Jaisalmer by opening Sahara Travels, specializing in camel safari tours that were popular with western tourists. Everyday, the now two-time Mr. Desert winner would put on a clean shirt, and sit in his new office by the fort gates waiting for tourists to arrive. And everyday, he would go home empty handed. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and still no tourists came. He was just about to call it quits when a free lance photographer discovered the face he was looking for in Mr. Desert, for a cigarette ad campaign. Signing his first modeling contract allowed Mr. Desert to keep Sahara Travels in business for another six months.

Then one day, a pair of backpackers walked into his office, looking to go on a camel safari. An excited Mr. Desert provided the best service he could give, personally taking them out on the safari, and even cooking dinner for them in the desert sands under a starlit night. The next week, a few more backpackers came, having met the original two backpackers, and hearing of the wonderful time they had with Mr. Desert. And slowly, through word-of-mouth recommendations, the fortunes of Sahara Travels began to change. In 1997, Lonely Planet included Sahara Travels into their recommended list of camel safari outfitters, and the rest is history.

As for Mr. Desert, he won the "Mr. Desert" competition again in 1990 and 1991, after which he was granted the lifetime title of "Mr. Desert Emeritus". He had a cameo appearance in a Bollywood movie, appeared in four television commercials for Coke-Cola and print ads for various brands. To this day, he still cooks dinner for everyone that goes on a camel safari with Sahara Travels, and sits with them by the campfire sharing his story.

Why pick Sahara Travels:
1. Great food - especially the dinner cooked by Mr. Desert himself!
2. You sleep on real beds (about 1 feet off the ground), not blankets on the sand like other outfitters. (You'll be glad for these when the giant black beetles come out of the sand after dusk)
3. Friendly, attentive service with no sales pressure at all. (Can't say the same for many hotels and shops in Jaisalmer!)
4. You get to have dinner and drinks with a Bollywood star (sort of) and hear his story. (Trust me, his original version is so much better!)

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