The first day in the desert was rather easy – just a couple of hours walking – but I took the opportunity to ride a camel. Mohammed told me that it’s not just a tourist gimick. Nomad children will ride the camels until they’re big enough to keep up on foot. I can see why the adults choose to walk, though. Camels don’t move gently like horses. They have a violent forward / back movement that threatens to saw you in half if you can’t unshackle the lower spine from the upper spine.
Day two was longer and the 6 hours of walking took its toll on my toes. Sand found its way into my shoes through the breathing holes in the top, then into my socks. Grains of sand between the toes moved around to create blisters as big as the toes themselves. On the third day, I gave in and went barefoot.
I tried it the evening before when I climbed to the top of a tall dune next to our campsite, finding the difference between the sand still in the sun and the cold sand already in the shade. Thankfully, the last day was warm without being too hot and my feet loved the freedom of walking all day without shoes.