March 22, 2004

Michael Jackson and the Great Thar Desert

Back in the ancient fort town of Jailsamer now, after our grueling camel safari deep into the great Thar Desert of western India.



Most travellers (except perhaps the rare American tourist, with the telltale shorts, white socks and camcorder) try to travel under the illusion that they aren't really tourists at all, but are somehow having that special, more authentic experience "off the beaten track".... This was not one of those experiences.

This was a "safari" in only the most frivilous sense of the word. There were no long hot days in the sun, no arabian nights, and we saw none of Lawrence's burly firends. It was a lot more like a camel ride at the circus (complete with musicians, dancers and a Pepsi salesman) with a few token sand dunes and a few sandy chapatis thrown into the bargain.



But it was still fun in the end, and I did manage to snap the requisite camel-rider-crossing-the-dunes-beneath-the-setting-sun photo. Ahhhh.... those precious Kodak moments....



(My camel's name was Michael Jackson)

Posted by Andrew Wallace @ 10:14 PM