Positive Vibrations

Positive Vibrations

Oh my God! I rode Bob Marley with the Wailers - Rastafari, Barry White, Jimmy Hendriks, Yala, and Riding High, trailing behind me in a caravan across the Western Sahara Desert to watch the sunset. It was the first time I was seeing a camel up close and, of course, mounting one! They are huge and almost have a donkeylike quality, except for the hump, indeed. I was apprehensive about mounting and riding one because of my full figuredness. However, Bob Marley was most gracious, he sat on all four and didn’t move a muscle as I easily opened by legs and straggled him. He did not moan or groan as he tried to stand. First on his back legs and then on his front legs. The rocking motion made my heart leap. Bob Marley must have sensed my nervousness because he stood still and waited patiently as my heart beat return to normal. I sense this Bob Marley was trying to carry out its namesake wish by

"Making way for a positive day

Cause it was a new day

New time new feeling."

Bob Marley and his Wailers have beautiful almond shaped eyes with extra long lashes. They need those lashes to protect their eyes as they travel through the windy and sandy desert. (I now know why women need long lashes that they would spend so much money on mascara and newfangled cosmetics like Latisse. The women want protruding lashes to accenturate their eyes.)

   

As we made our way to the special dune, I was given the Berber name Isha by our guide, Yousef. I asked him if he prefers to be called a Berber or Amazith.

           

He replied, “Amazith” and then said, “You are learning Arabic.”

“Yes!” I responded.

    

He named Kim, who was riding high on Jimmy Hendricks behind me, Fatima. I told him I was glad he did not call me Fatima. While a few people chuckled, he had a quizzical look on his face as he gasped, “Ahh!” I am afraid my attempt at some humor was lost on Yousef. As we rode to the dune, the children’s song “Alice, the Camel” popped in my head and I kept singing it. The big difference is that this camel, Bob Marley, did not lose its hump to become a horse.

   

When we got to the foot of the dune to watch the sunset. We took off our shoes to climb the dune. I was so aware of my physical limitation and hesitated. But, not for long, I had three men helped me to the summit. As the real Bob Marley sang, “Why not help one another on the way. Make it much easier.” The setting and the scenery at the top of the dune was simply spectacular. Many dunes of differing sizes and hues framed the setting sun. It was simply breathtaking.

      

As I was about to descend the dune back to Bob Marley.Yousef, the guide said, “Sit!” I sat on the sand and before I realized what was happening I was descending the orange colored sand dune being dragged by two Amaziths, Yousef and his friend, each holding a leg up high. I simply laid back and relished the ultimate joyride, Saharan Style!

"Say its a new sign

Oh what a new day"