Not even an origami camel

We had gone to Puri this weekend, the SRE, our younger daughter G, and I. G took time off from her job as she had some leave saved up. She tries to come home for at least a week or ten days each year, and get us out of Kolkata and our mundane routines for at least a couple of days. She has also been the child responsible for getting the staid, prim and proper SRE into shorts and t-shirts, and, miracle of miracles, this year, even into floaters!
Our kids have some great ideas regarding our future. G and M, our older daughter, have decided that they are responsible for our welfare. They have a good deal between them. G will entertain us and make sure we take her somewhere for a holiday each year, and keep reminding us how to have " fun". M will look after us in our old age (Heaven help her). Since she has opted not to have kids, the younger son will take care of her when she's old. The older son being abroad for now is an unknown factor in this equation, so he isn't accounted for just now.
We were told to pose for some 'fun' photos:)


Anyway, I digress. G and I had had a totally hysterical session on the beach with the breakers washing over us, the earth moving from under our feet, and, of course, sand entering unmentionable areas of both clothing and anatomy.
The SRE staidly sat on his deck chair, having a good 'maalish'.
A camel wallah was told to wait for us to finish our 'beaching'. Once that was over, G decided to have a maalish too. I lolled on the chair, enjoying my daab. The SRE asked me to go ahead and have a foot massage at least, but I have several reasons for not having any kind of massage.
a) My feet are extremely ticklish as well as sensitive- anything unusual can make them ache.
b) I can't bear the thought of a random stranger touching my skin. I can have a shampoo and haircut done by random strangers in a salon, though!
c) He had one unhappy kind of towel with which he was dusting off the sand from people, and a bottle of strange smelling oil.

Now, I honestly don't know what transpired between the time the SRE booked the camel ride and our actually mounting it. The bejewelled lady camel (solo pic) was the one we were supposed to ride. Methinks she took one look at my bulk and refused outright. Our camel chap went and brought another camel wallah with a male camel, who was apparently macho enough to take us on. I was most amazed to find myself climbing up a ladder to mount the camel's back. G climbed aboard too, and the two of us had a great time galumphing around the beach. The petrifying part was when the camel sat down for us to dismount! I wildly lurched forward, doing my level best not to crush poor G in front of me.

That, folks, was the only time I've ever ridden a camel.

So long, G, and thanks for all the fun:)


Space bar, I don't think this meets your requirements. But I did try.