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ed the same wooden saddle that bloodied O’Tool’s Our caravan headed out toward the lovely moun-
backside. This was not my first camel ride; we had tains shimmering in the desert heat. The first ten
a quite nice ride at the Pushkar Camel Festival in minutes were tolerable… I tried to take my mind
India a few years back. But this ride… this was the off the meeting of my bottom with that hardwood
camel ride from hell. board. Then the pain began to get serious and my
prostate was getting the beating of its little life.
I must say that my Wadi Rum camel was a beauty
– a pleasant face, long eyelashes and pretty friend- The mountains began to get larger “my god,” I shout-
ly as camels go. But the saddle was made of wood ed to our Bedouin guide who was walking “we’re
featuring a 3 inch hardwood slat running down the not going to those mountains are we?” He smiled
middle from the horn to the butt end, all covered a knowing smile and everyone laughed -- but me.
with a thin layer of cloth to disguise the terror to Our guides, I guess, had decided to give us the de-
come. I knew there was something wrong when I luxe long tour and we were at least 45 minutes out
first boarded the camel, which is an adventure in it- before they decided we had had enough and turned
self. But I said to myself, it’s only an hour ride, if the us around to head back to the camp.
little kids in our group can handle it, I could do it.
I wanted to cry. I tried to go into a Zen like state

26 Wine Dine & Travel 2016