Lumpy the Camel

This weekend I got to see my first ever camel farm! And by farm I mean a narrow, dusty, expanse of barren land located between two lanes of highway. These were my first real life, Middle Eastern camels! I had all sorts of pre-conceived notions that camels would be numerous and though clearly not a practical means of transportation or business, surely their use would be widespread. I pretty much thought I would spend frequent amounts of time riding camels or perhaps find life-giving sustenance in their milk/ subsist on the water in their humps if and/or when I got mislaid in the desert… My hopes were dashed upon the rocks of reality when I learned from my friend Muhammad(in case you haven’t realized yet, everyone I know is named Muhammad) that he, a native of Aden, had never once ridden a camel because helloooo this isn’t the 1800’s anymore.
After observing (from a distance! Camels are extremely brutish creatures!) the camels for a while we went to a nature reserve- the only of its kind in Aden. There were all sorts of birds and plants and it was really lovely and scenic. And then a surprise! Muhammad had arranged for a camel to come so we could ride it! Those who know me know that riding a camel is one of my all-time life goals. Woo-hoo check that one off the list!
And let me tell you this- it is not a smooth ride. Riding it took every ounce of concentration and agility in my being. This was no picnic. And I, apparently, am no longer a spring-chicken. Camels have an extremely jarring, plodding gait and a GIANT HUMP RIGHT WHERE YOU SHOULD SIT. Pretty much the whole time I was clutching with all my might to a mangy tuft of hair and trying not to slide head over heels off the massive ass of the ruminant.
Matt and Muhammad Jamal