Kaloo the Camel

From the oasis town of Jaisalmer in Rajastan, I drove with three other travelers and two guides to the nearby Thar Desert, where a group of camels awaited us far from any civilization. Without hesitation, I chose a camel as my means of transportation, which caught my eye with its beautiful dark coat and sympathetic look. On this friendly camel named Kaloo (Hindi for “black”), I was able to fall into a meditative state for several hours at the sight of the silent, endless desert landscape, which allowed me to calmly review the past nine months of my world trip. When I awoke the next morning under the open sky in my sleeping bag, I saw the sun rising directly between my new friend’s legs. As perfect as this sight was, I felt infinitely sorry for Kaloo at the same moment, because the camel driver had tied off one of his legs – a measure that I considered absolutely unnecessary. After all, this wonderful animal would never have left me without saying goodbye.

Thar Desert, Jaisalmer (India), April 2014