Mom in Doha - Day 3

Today was a big day....
My mom's first trip to the desert and first encounters with camels.

We planned to get up early and head out to Sealine for some dunes etc but the forecast called for thunderstorms and rain.
We woke up and looked at the window and that's exactly what looked like was about to happen.
We laid back down for a little bit and then decided to head up to Sahhaniyah to check out the camel race track and community.

When we arrived, some of the trainers were leading their herds to the tracks.
The tiny robot jockeys bobbed around as the camels lurched onward.

We drove around the track watching some of the camels run and laughed at the way their lips kinda flap as they hustle down the track.
Then we headed off the beaten path and through the community to a more barren area of desert where you could approach packs of camels grazing on the desert bushes.
The first thing we found was a pile of camel bones.
There is only one thing to do when you find a pile of camel bones.....
Find the biggest leg bone and the smallest vertebrae and play some baseball.

We drove on and came across loads of camels grazing.
We got seriously lucky and found 3 separate mothers and their nearly new born babies.



Each had no problem with us being there and interacting with them and their young.
Once we got our fill of the massive creatures, we headed to Dhukan to check out more desert and the "jebbel with the hole".

Jill and Steve played a horrible trick on me and lead me to believe that a black snake with a yellow belly was just naturally sitting behind a rock that Steve and I were going to flip over in search of fossils.
I took photos of it as Steve slowly approached.

Then he grabbed it and threw it at me. I naturally ran..... straight into a massive rock and busted my shin up as they laughed hysterically.
Good one.
Dont worry..... I'll get them back some day.

Exhausted from the long day, we headed back home to sit in front of the fire for awhile and then watch some television.

Today was another great day.
They seem to be getting better and better.

Tomorrow my mom will be going to a Qatari woman's house for tea in the morning with Jill and Lauren and then we'll all head over to Spa Chakra for some much needed massages and relaxation.

*If you didnt get your fill of camels here.... check out my flickr for more photos from today