We meet Sultan!

Sultan our camel shows up with his handler, Emil. Sultan is harnessed to a two wheeled cart with fat tires. We elected this mode of travel after hearing the ride is about an hour long, and also confirmed that Dianne could ride atop of Sultan somewhere along the journey. We had been in the auto this morning for about 4 hours, and there is nothing that will convince you more that you had it easy than a ride in a camel cart.
We are loaded in the back of the cart bumping along the road not more than 2 feet from Sultans tail. I remember Michelle describing a camel safari she took with Peter while on their honeymoon. The phrase she used was full flapper farts coming from this camel. Emil is holding Sultans tail close to where it joins his backside. That is how he steers him.

After some time Emil suggests that I ride atop Sultan. I don’t really want to, and I suggest Dianne ride instead. Emil is insistent. I will ride. I hope that it is a language problem and still suggest Dianne ride. No! The thought of a woman riding atop while I, the male languished in the rear was too much for his delicate sensibilities. I rode Sultan. It was better than the last camel ride which ended with me being pitched over the front of the beast when it decided the ride was over and knelt down front first, like a camel does.
We reach the halfway point and stop for a rest. Emil suggests now that we take a picture of Dianne sitting on Sultan while we are stopped. Dianne seems happy with this arrangement.

On the way back Emil talks about Sultan and also about himself. We are interested in hearing about Emil’s life, but something that he says about Sultan really gets me thinking. He says Sultan will never take a wife. He says it’s because Sultan likes Baba. I’m smiling now thinking about Sultan and Baba, whoever or whatever Baba is.Read more