Day 10

Another splash in the warm spring before breakfast, and then into the local town for a walk around. To be honest, not very inspiring - huddled around a mud brick citadel that is decidedly crumbling (has long since crumbled) but the view from the top shows how the green oasis/town sits amongst the dry desert. Best part of the visit was our lunch in a local caff.

Then it was off for our camel ride out into the desert - and what an experience. We had about 20 grown camels and some dozen babies for we eight, so it was almost like being in a proper camel train, rather than a line of eight just for we tourists. (NB We have decided that we are not tourists - we are "overlanders"). It was great, making our way over virgin rippled sand with the babies "playing" - a sort of cross between a group of ostriches running around and lambs gambolling. None of us had seen (or of course experienced) anything like it before. And of course there was another sunset- we are becoming rather blasé about these.

When we arrived at camp, we found that Ali had everything prepared, with carpets and sleeping mats laid out for us, and a fire burning. A delicious meal of lentil soup, followed by roast chicken with rice and vegetables - and this of course under a cloudless, star filled sky with the Milky Way overhead, and us sitting around the flames. We did not bother to erect the tents, just sleeping on our mats under the stars as the heavens passed by overhead. Sorry if I am going on about it, but the whole experience was just magical, to be remembered for ever.