Camels, Deserts, and Airplanes

I didn’t sleep well last night and morning came very quickly. We boarded the bus at 8:30 with our entire luggage. Then we rode out to the desert. It took about an hour. On the way we passed all sorts of interesting sites including small fun fairs – with Ferris wheels, merry go rounds, etc. And Bedouin camps complete with 4 wheelers in the front yard of the tents. Camels wandered around everywhere – seemingly without guidance or limitations.
We arrived in a semi-national park that is also used for research and rode to a site with permanent tents. The workers had set up a big tent with pillows under it. We sat and had tea and dates, as is our custom before any meal. It was HOT – but windy too so it was tolerable. Then the fun began. First I got to ride a camel. Two camels came and we all took turns going for rides. My camel was quite feisty and wanted to eat the plants (probably had water in them). I held on and never stopped smiling. We went for a long walk around the desert floor and then came back. The handler had the camel kneel and I jumped down. All in all, an amazing experience. Then a falcon trainer came and I got to hold the falcon. What a beautiful bird. We all walked around the dessert looking at animals and plants for a while. The waiters in uniform ran along beside us serving us tea and dates. One surprise- when I went to the washroom (expecting to find a big rock to hide behind), I found a beautiful bathroom carved into the side of the hill complete with pedestal sinks and beautiful tiles. The sinks outside the washroom were also embedded in the rocks.
Soon enough, they called us to lunch. We entered a permanent tent – complete with air-conditioning and carpets. And then we saw that we had the most amazing lunch prepared for us. Here we are in the desert – it is very hot – and we have ice sculptures above the food! Fresh flowers on the tables. And food a mile long. It was amazing.
When we finished Aramco gave us all leather briefcases – with books inside. More weight!
Then we went straight to the airport in Riyadh. Threw on our abayas to cover the smell of camel- and left Riyadh in a violent sand storm. About an hour later we landed in Damman – where we returned to the Aramco Compound hotel. I tried to repack my bags – and finally decided to pay the overage. I just have too much stuff. The Saudis gave us so much and I bought many things. I don’t want to throw it all away. So I will pay the overage and forget it. Everyone is in the same situation.
I’m on my way home now – and I am ready. I will pause and reflect on this trip many times over the next few months. And when I do, I will remember the friends that I made, the fascinating people that I met, the wonderful hospitality that Saudi Aramco showed us, and the amazing land that is Saudi Arabia. I was blessed to be invited to participate on this trip. And now I need to pay it back- by sharing with others what I learned. Hope you stick around.