| After approximately 6 hours drive through the | | | | Ehsan who once had 13 camels of his own in |
| hottest, most barren spot on earth, my friend | | | | Ghehi village didn't seem so surprised or scared. |
| Ehsan and I feel no exhaustion at all. We take a | | | | He told me to show some courage as he |
| break; indeed nothing is more refreshing than a | | | | dexterously sat down a smaller camel and quickly |
| cup of Ahmad tea. A few minutes later we hit | | | | jumped on its back. Fortunately, Ali arrived and |
| the newly constructed road to Khur and Biabanak | | | | made the giant sit down so even I could climb on |
| once again, almost mesmerized looking at this | | | | a camels back. I slowly picked up my trembling |
| wide span of desert with gently rising hills all | | | | steps towards the behemoth as it was looking at |
| around us. Here we see a water reservoir in the | | | | me face to face with doubt and pessimism. I |
| most desolated of all places. And there a triangular | | | | finally made it over to its back when all of a |
| road sign warns drivers to beware of wandering | | | | sudden it made a roar that sounded quite like a |
| camels that may cross the road. | | | | big OK to me and there it was our two-seater |
| The route we follow is supposed to take us to | | | | caravan ready to hit the desert. |
| Mesr village, which is famous for its thriving camel | | | | Soon we found ourselves in the middle of desert |
| ride tours. It was dark when we entered a wide | | | | looking over the horizon where only rising sand |
| track leading to Mesr. We had not seen a car for | | | | dunes were visible. If it weren't for Ali's son who |
| the last 200 kilometres and the only source of | | | | happened to be our tour leader, our two-sitter |
| light was the car's headlights. | | | | caravan surely never would have been able to |
| As soon as we arrived in Mesr we would be | | | | find its way back. |
| looking for a man named Ali. Hopefully, he is going | | | | Enjoying the ride, I thought about what Ali was |
| to provide us some food and a place to stay | | | | telling us the night before. It turns out that a |
| over night. Finding Ali wasn't very difficult in such | | | | camel is quite capable of turning its neck around a |
| small place. We saw him sitting on a wooden bed | | | | full 180 degrees and gorge on thorns while it's |
| outside his humble village home. | | | | busy running at the same time. There has never |
| Ali was an accommodating man who seemed to | | | | been an instant when a camel ever lost its track |
| have had plenty of experience living in remote | | | | when doing these two things simultaneously. I |
| areas; also quite knowledgeable about camels. As | | | | myself can never concentrate on two things at |
| it's customary with most villagers he greeted us | | | | the same Time. |
| with an open heart and ushered us to our room. | | | | And who could ever believe that this long-necked |
| He then brought us a glass of musk willow [1] | | | | creature with that stupid look on his face could |
| syrup as an appetizer before each us devoured a | | | | actually read the stars and develop emotional ties |
| delicious Kabab for dinner. | | | | with his homeland. A camel takes advantage of |
| Oh, what great joy we experienced after the | | | | celestial bodies to position itself just like using a |
| dinner as Ali was telling us his memories, unique | | | | precision GPS system. Also a normal camel should |
| encounters with camels and how he had come to | | | | always escape if it happens that someone tries to |
| love these creatures since growing up in this god | | | | take it away from its familiar surroundings. What |
| forsaken village. He told us about the camel's | | | | a Creature! |
| psychology, its inner characteristics. | | | | After a two-hour ride coming across smooth |
| We became more and more enthusiastic to hit | | | | sand we decided to take a break and enjoy the |
| the desert's sand riding on camel's back. It was | | | | sunbath. I don't now how to describe it, but you |
| now time to sleep but tomorrow morning we | | | | should experience that for yourself. All I can say |
| would do our first camel riding adventure over the | | | | is that it was incredible. It was around 4 PM when |
| hot and smooth surface of this sandy desert - | | | | we were close to the village but surprised to see |
| 'Oh god, will tomorrow ever come,' I said to | | | | a big crowd had gathered in the village as we |
| myself. | | | | moved in closer. |
| Early in the morning, Ali entered our room | | | | There were now 4 buses parked in the village |
| carrying a huge paten full of tasty dairy products, | | | | with many young boys and girls joyfully moving |
| produced locally, complete with fresh vegetables | | | | around. Some carried telescopes; others carried |
| and tea. What a breakfast! | | | | guitars and musical instruments with them. It |
| Soon after eating breakfast we began to | | | | seemed as if they had a rendezvous with |
| discover the village. It was so small and seemed | | | | extraterrestrial creatures from utter space and |
| abandoned at first. I was thinking to myself why | | | | that they had arranged a musical piece to share |
| should anybody come here to have fun when all | | | | with them that night. |
| of a sudden heard this weird hushing sound | | | | [1] - A vigorous, fast growing, bushy, deciduous |
| roaring behind me. I turned back and looked over | | | | shrub or small tree, with purplish-red, thick |
| my shoulder and said, ' oh my gush, there they | | | | branches. Grows to 12' tall and 15' wide. Leaves |
| are, camels.' I must confess that in my wildest | | | | are oblong, serrated, deep green above, underside |
| dreams I never pictured a camel as huge as the | | | | hairy and glaucous, up to 6" long. Catkins are |
| one that was present before my eyes at that | | | | fragrant, gray, males to 1 1/2" long with yellow |
| time, I bet no one else did either. The camel was | | | | anthers, females to 3" long. The shoots of this |
| so tall that it was impossible to jump on its back | | | | tree can be used in dried arrangements. A very |
| without a ladder. I can't tell how naïve I had | | | | striking tree, especially in winter, so give it a |
| been by picturing a Giraffe or an elephant in my | | | | prominent place in the garden. Native to Turkey, |
| little brain until I saw a Camel. | | | | Iraq, Iran, Armenia, and Afghanistan. |