I awoke just after dawn and found that I was only slightly saddle sore, despite five hours of riding a camel the previous day. A night’s sleep on a plush bedroll under the desert stars was all I had needed to recover. I rolled over and squeezed the pillow to my chest as Juju walked up.
“Good morning, Madam,” sang the 12-year-old. “Chai?” I could never resist the warm, sweet and spicy Indian tea. I sat up and reached for the cup.
“Thank you, Juju.”
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Trekking through the Indian desert
and living the life of a maharani (queen) |
“Welcome, Madam,” he responded with a toothy grin, before returning to the fire, where our breakfast was being prepared.
“Maharani! Good morning!” It was Sham Singh, our guide and chef extraordinaire. He had taken to calling me maharani, which means “queen.” I grinned and bid him good morning.
My husband and I were on a three-day desert camel safari from the western India town of Jaisalmer, which cost 750 rupees apiece (US$ 17). We’d opted for the top-tier excursion package: plush bedrolls, rather than simple sleeping bags, and higher quality meals, rather than just lentils and rice. The daily rate was barely $5 more than the cheaper package. For the meager increase in price, treating ourselves like royalty was a no-brainer.
The sun was quickly warming the sand around us; this would be another hot day. After chapatis and vegetables, Sham helped my husband tie his turban, and I affixed my head scarf to protect myself from the desert heat. We slathered on sunscreen and prepared to mount our camels once again.
I had developed quite an affinity for Khalu, my trusty camel, which was gentle, intelligent and affectionate. I petted Khalu’s neck as he hunkered down for me to climb onto his back. We rode for about an hour before stopping at a small desert village. Immediately, swarms of children raced up to our camels.
Continued: Living Like a Maharani in India
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