safari – Simple Moments of Life

This whole weekend was spent in putting away my Golu dolls, till I take them down again, for next year’s festival. As I wrapped each one of them carefully, my eye fell on a camel doll that I had picked up a few years ago from the Middle East, while on a trip there.

I remembered a very funny incident that happened then. Being tourists, we did all the typical ‘touristy’ things that were recommended by our guide. We went on a Desert Safari, which included a visit to a Bedouin Settlement, Dune Bashing and of course, Camel Riding.

We enjoyed visiting with the Bedouins. The dune bashing was very exciting. Finally, it was time for the camel ride. Each of us had to take turns to get on the camel, finish a short ride and get back to base. It was quite scary when the camel stood up, after one had sat on it. The camel’s wobbling caused us to let out little squeals. Thus, it went on; one after the other. My son was the bravest of the lot. He was hoisted up, and off he went, waving to us with one hand. As a typical mom-tourist, I video-graphed all those wonderful moments.

It was then my husband’s turn. By then, my son had shown so much affinity towards the camels, that he had become very friendly with the camel trainer. So, when my husband started his ride, the camel trainer gave the leash to my son and asked him to lead the camel. Funnily, this camel was a rebel. He stopped to gossip with other camels that he met on the way, and refused to budge. The trainer spoke to the camel, and finally the camel decided to move on.

When the camel was about half-way on the ride, the camel turned around and bared his teeth at my husband. We were all in splits to see my husband’s startled face. And then, it happened. The rebellious camel took off into the desert at a very fast pace, leaving the trainer running behind him. My poor husband held on to the reins for dear life. It was both scary and comical. Finally the camel stopped; about a good 300 m away from where we stood. The trainer caught up with him, and brought them back to base.

After the initial tension, we literally rolled on the sand with uncontrollable laughter, as we relived the funny incident. The entire family had gone together; so both my brothers-in-law came up with theories of how my husband’s plan to escape from me had been foiled!

The ten day trip to Kenya flew by as if on wings. At the end of it, and countless animals and national parks later, I am grappling with words to convey what I felt.

The Savannah is majestic & mighty. It awes you with its splendour. The grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see, Mother Nature at her best, unleashing all her beauty in one shot – the dazzles of zebra, the gentle and graceful giraffe, the hopping gazelle and beautiful impala, the cute warthog families, the majestic African elephant, the musical and colourful birds, the lazy cats with their graceful body language and piercing eyes, the lush green grass dotted with trees, the unrelenting sun, the evening breeze, the refreshing rain, the safari rides atop the land cruiser, the guessing games to spot animals on every ride, the bush teas and treks through the equatorial forests….! Can anyone ask for more?

The African Savannah – unforgettable and humbling. Sharing a few pictures.