Camel Land!!

I went to Camel Land with Amy and Emma on Sunday. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds! With Amy’s beautiful driving skills and Emma’s amazing navigational expertise, we made it to Camel Land safe and sound in the morning. Camel Land is near Be’er Sheva in the Negev Desert. It’s real, non-American Tourist name is Negev Camel Ranch. When we got there it was deserted (and in the desert hehehe). Ours was the only car in the parking lot and there were no signs telling us where to go, and no people around. We wandered a bit looking for information and worrying we had come all that way to a closed camel ranch. In desperation I asked a camel for help, but camels are not very communicative. Finally we found real people and I was designated the person to ask strangers for help (a running theme in our adventures). “Excuse me, is this Camel Land? Are you open? Ok good, we want to ride camels!” We each got our very own camel and headed out into the desert on an hour long tour. Our guide Shai told us all about our camels and where we were walking. We walked along the incense road, called that because they transported incense on it during Roman times and before. Did you know camels don’t actually store water in their hump? That’s what some one told me, but it’s not true. A camel’s hump is all fat. Shai told us all about the history of the area. He also said that camels sway back and forth when they walk because of their legs. Their legs are really long so they walk both right feet then both left then both right etc. That’s why their whole bodies sway back and forth when they walk. That explains Dippy too I guess. She walked the same way. Her legs weren’t as long as camels’ though.

At the end of our camel tour we had tea and watched a large group of religious boys get on the camels for a tour. For some reason watching a bunch of religious boys no more than 14 getting on camels in the desert was extremely entertaining.

After our delicious tea we headed into Be’er Sheva and had some yummy all you can eat Indian food. All in all a great day!