Camel trip in the desert of Jaisalmer
In Jaisalmer which lies close to the border of Pakistan are offered camel trips which provide the visitors not only a nice ride on a camel but also a contacts with the locals. I decided to go for a two day trip which brought us to a sand dune where we spent the night.So we (a Scot, an American and I) went with the Jeep to the desert where we were introduced to the camel drivers and the camels. My camel was called "Moru" and wasn't very impressed about my advances to make friends with it! Mayby it's quite used to the tourist but I though it's better to be nice to it because it was my first time on a camel back!
It seemed like I was successful with my efforts because the camel was nice to me and it didn't throw me off ;-)
To climb a camel is quite a funny story: you climb the back of the sitting camel. After a accordant order the camel jumps onto its front knees (which catapults you backwards) and then it jumps on its back legs (which catapults you forwards) and finally it jumps to its front legs and stretchs them (which catapults you backwards again)....maybye this sounds a little bit complicated..well, it is complicated!!! And as complicated it sounds as much it shakes you! You have to hold yourself quite good when the thing is standing up -not to mention when it sits down...because this is very similar, just in the opposite direction. And this animal is fairly big...about 2.5 metres from the bottom to the saddle!
After we got used to the camel we started to our trip. From the back of the camel it looks like this..
On our camel ride we passed different colonies which are made of adobes. The people here live on agriculture and animal husbandry and live a very simple life. Like everywhere in the desert there is no electricity -so the people go to bed when it's getting dark and stand up with the first cock crow. But unfortunattly they can't sleep very well because wild animals stray around the house during the night and the people have to look often after their animals.
The locals were very friendly and wanted implicitly pose for a picture...
Like I already mentioned in other reports the muslim influence in the region near the pakistani border is good to see. The muslim rate is bigger than in other parts of India. For example the two men in the middle are hindus and the other two are muslim.
The Indians always highlight that India is the only country in the world which has united so many different folks and religions
and let them live together in peace. Well, today this might be true but it wasn't always like that. For example after the british rule of India Pakistan and the todays Bangladesh separated 1949 from India. In this time refugees were fleeing to towards the todays Pakistan and hundert thousands were killed. Since then tree wars were waged between Pakistan and India until today and the contentious region Kashmir is still a place of frequent terrorist attacks. The Kashmiri border between Pakistan and India is also called "the bloodiest border of the world"!
The all along continuing conflicts are also responsible for the nuclear program of both countries (the ones who followed the medias the last time know that the pakistanies just were criticised because of their transfer of knowhow and nuclear weapon parts to Libya, Iran and Northkorea).
Although the two countries live more or less in peace together today the border is well controlled by the army and low flying jets
observe the desert between Pakistan and India which disturbs the
quit area and reminds you that it isn't that peaceful like the Indians always try to make you believe!
...but now back to the camel trip!
In the evening we came to a sand dune where we wanted to spend the night. Nice this view, isn't it?
Arrived by the dune we were welcomed by a local! Even though he couldn't speak one word english, so a real comunication wasn't possible, we understand each other very well! With hand signs, laughing and eyes winking you also can comunicate. This shows again that you often understand each other without a lot of words!
He categorical wanted to wear my sun glasses and wanted to pose for a foto...I couldn't deny ;-)
In the evening our new friend brought his tabula, a instrument similar to a guitar (not to mixe up with a tabla which is a drum)
to the campfire. So we were sitting together with the camel drivers on the fire and were listening to the for us unusual songs. Of course we had to try the brought "desert whiskey". Although the camel drivers were pakistanis (muslims) they drank the biggest part. The law which doesn't allow the muslims to consume alcohol seems not to be so strict here in the desert!
So we sang and drank until the early morning hours. Finally we laid down and heart now and then the crows of roaming animals but felt asleep later...
The next day we went back to Jaisalmer. This camel trip was quite interesting because it was not only my first time on a camel back but also we had nice contacts with the locals -and we tried the desert whiskey ;-)
I wish you all the best! Do you still have snow in Switzerland? In India it's very hot ;-)
Peace everywhere on this planet!
Andy
30.03.04, Jaisalmer, India