Waterhole

In Jaisalmer, India I signed up for a six day camel safari into the Thar Desert bordering Pakistan. ... more

by Michael Britton

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Price

$950

Dimensions

7.000 x 9.000 inches

Title

Waterhole

Artist

Michael Britton

Medium

Painting - Oil On Paper

Description

In Jaisalmer, India I signed up for a six day camel safari into the Thar Desert bordering Pakistan.

Feeling as lonesome as a soggy Brussels sprout exiled to the outer rim of a dinner plate I opted for the camaraderie of a group tour. The group must have gotten wind that I signed up and cancelled at the last moment choosing to forsake their safari fees rather than enjoy six exhilarating days of my company. It would be me and Babalu, an overworked and savagely underpaid guide, and our camels whom I deigned to call Joe and Felix. Joe was the dominant beast propelled by machine gun bursts of flatulence. Felix and I, being the lowly tethered subordinates, bore the odious brunt.

The landscape of the Thar Desert is mostly thorny scrub with a few sand dunes strategically placed en route like Motel 6's where we would bed and gaze marvelling at the cold starry, starry night. A satellite hovered far above us clapping a baleful eye on Pakistan, I suppose, and reminding me that this border region is one of the world's nuclear trigger happy hot spots.

The day began at sunrise and continued until an hour before noon where Babalu and I would disembark from our loping mounts for a lunch and tea prepared over an open fire and to wait out the searing overhead sun. These siestas were usually for four hours allowing me ample time to pursue a plein air sketch such as Water Hole.

Uploaded

January 31st, 2014