Thursday, November 4, 2010

Florence of Arabia

I just got back from the desert and I leave for Rome in 6 hours and somewhere in that 6 hours I have to finish my laundry, shower, pack and sleep.  So it breaks my heart to tell you that you're just going to have to wait for all the good stories of my Grand Sahara Adventure. 

Except for this one:


We went riding on camels through sand dunes this morning (As awesome as it sounds.  No, wait, even more awesome.) and about halfway through I noticed that my saddle was slipping further and further down the camel's hump (at this point it is important to note that riding a camel is no easy task.  There is a whole lot of jostling) so I turned back to our guide, Neila, who speaks moderate English and yelled, "My saddle is slipping.  Can you tell the guy my saddle is slipping?"  And she either didn't hear me or didn't understand because she just smiled and waved.  So then I screamed back, through the laughing, "Seriously, my saddle is really slipping."  And again, she just smiled and waved.  So then Megan, who was riding between us, got in on the act, "Neila, tell the guide that Rachel is about to fall off the camel and to stop!"  And again, Neila just smiled and waved.  Finally Megan remembered the Arabic word for back (which has escaped me) and shouted it out and pointed to me, now bouncing along on the camel's butt with his tail flying up and swatting my back and I'm holding on to the saddle for dear life and laughing like a loon, and both Neila and the guide figured out what is going on and stopped the train just as I'm tilting backwards.  It was hilarious, to say the least.

Later I'll tell you about my bout of food poisoning (I prayed for death), my trip to the Star Wars set, my stint as a falconer, and how I shrewdly upped my marriage price to 300 camels.

With Love,

Florence of Arabia

13 comments:

Ginger said...

I'm laughing like a loon just reading about your camel adventures. You look fabulous in that head covering. I can't wait to hear the rest of your adventures. I am also so happy you didn't die from food poisoning. Have a great adventure in Rome. I love you and miss you!

Angela said...

Great post. And I'm thinkin' that second image is PERFECT for using in your new header.




Joking.

Rach said...

Thank you thank you thank you for posting a picture of you on a camel. Plus I love the title of your post. Plus I love the post. And the head covering. Super awesome. You are such a desert princess.

colleeeen said...

I am actually pretty darn jealous of that sweet headscarf.

Bronwyn James said...

That second picture is PERFECT. Wow.

Valerie said...

This is all just so glamorous. Do you feel glamorous? You look it.

Hannah said...

You are my hero. Of so many varieties. What does that even mean? I don't know. All I do know, is that I would like to be you when I grow up.

Laura said...

You are the best possible person to have these adventures - not just because you're fantastic and you deserve them - but who else would be able to tell the stories with such hilarity? Florence of Arabia...you are amazing!

Stephanie said...

I can't wait to hear the other stories! Have a wonderful time in Rome!

teresa p said...

Has anyone told you yet how amazing you're looking in all of your pictures! Seriously photogenic. Hear my jealousy?

Please tell me you now own that headcovering.

Karina & John Calderwood said...

Now there are two women in the Crenshaw line (that I know of) who have ridden a camel in the desert! GMA would be proud.

Heather said...

I can't believe that last picture is real. I want one just like it, but mine would just be a photo shop project.

I also hope you own that scarf.

Kayla said...

great pictures! your post made me laugh, can't wait to read more!

Kayla

http://717inthe215.blogspot.com/