Question:
Is it okay to ride a camel?
I thought about this during our drive to Merzouga, while we rode the camels into the dunes of the Sahara (side note: when examining a map later, I discovered we were in a hilariously small piece of desert…still technically Sahara, though), and afterwards.
It seems like there’s a spectrum: You don’t ride on dolphins. You don’t ride giant tortoises. You possibly shouldn’t ride on elephants (maybe? I think more people would say it’s okay to ride an elephant than a dolphin?). But you definitely can ride horses.
…camels?
When is it okay to ride an animal? And when is it okay to OWN an animal? If it’s domesticated and seems to like it? If it’s small?
I don’t know. From a strength perspective, camels are perfectly capable of carrying a human, although it’s terrifying to watch a camel stand up–like a snorting, grumpy accordion. These camels didn’t have names, which made me vaguely sad.
Pictures and commentary from Day 3 of the desert (click through):
2017-03-25 16.19.51
The hotel room where our desert guide, Abdul, stayed while we stayed out in the camp.
2017-03-25 16.34.02
2017-03-25 16.34.07
2017-03-25 16.43.48
Grumpy camel #1
2017-03-25 16.46.10
Have attained standing position
2017-03-25 17.05.21
I'm guessing the group name for camels is just a herd...let me Google...aha! Can also be caravan, flock, or train.
2017-03-25 17.13.19
2017-03-25 17.22.07
The approach toward the dunes
2017-03-25 17.46.25
2017-03-25 17.59.21
Shadow riders
2017-03-25 17.59.25
2017-03-25 18.05.24
The desert "camp" which was a pretty substantial structure and had a flush toilet (please don't ask me to explain how).
2017-03-25 18.20.01
We climbed up to the top of the dunes for the sunset.
2017-03-25 18.17.51
Sunset #1
2017-03-25 18.22.12
#2
2017-03-25 18.23.52
#3
2017-03-25 18.30.43
#4
2017-03-25 18.33.26
Tiny figures atop a neighboring dune
2017-03-25 18.39.47
Color palette changing
2017-03-25 18.49.57
Lone wanderer
2017-03-25 19.19.34
This bug joined for dinner.
2017-03-25 21.19.16
Desert fire; it was colder at night, but still warmer than it was in the mountains.
2017-03-25 21.25.31
Drumming around the fire
2017-03-26 06.03.24
Inside of the "tents"
2017-03-26 07.14.24
Sunrise on the way out of the desert
2017-03-26 07.17.37
Hellooooo
2017-03-26 08.44.02
I'm not sure if this picture should be titled "Birth" or "Let me kiss your boo-boo"
Aunt Mary
What fun! Thank you, Claire!!