| If you have a romantic heart and an
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| | we could meet the women of the tribe and
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| adventurous spirit, then you have to ride
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| | the female riders only were allowed into
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| an Arab horse across the desert of Wadi
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| | their separate part of the tent. We
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| Rum at least once in your lifetime.Wadi
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| | communicated with the women in sign
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| Rum, in the far south of Jordan, is also
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| | language and by drawing pictures and
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| known as Valley of the Moon. It is an
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| | realized that we had the same wants and
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| enchanting place where massive rocky
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| | needs whatever culture we come from. I
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| outcrops rise majestically out of the
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| | felt that we had witnessed something very
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| desert floor. The rocks have the
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| | special that the normal tourist doesn't
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| appearance of melting chocolate and the
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| | usually see.At the end of each long day
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| colours in the sandstone are like a muted
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| | in the saddle, when we were tired and
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| earthy rainbow. It is a landscape like no
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| | hungry, the cook and crew had already set
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| other.I have ridden twice now in Wadi Rum
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| | up camp. I was always amazed by the
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| with Equitour Worldwide Riding Holidays
| |
| | places they found for us to spend the
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| Both trips were spectacular and
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| | night. The crew consisted of a very good
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| different. I met old friends and made
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| | cook and assistant, horse handlers, maybe
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| new. That is the wonderful thing about
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| | a local vet and drivers. There were
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| horses - they bring people together who
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| | normally about two or three 4WD pickup
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| enjoy a challenge whatever their
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| | trucks, which carried food and water for
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| age.Initially I was anxious about my
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| | the horses, for the riders and also all
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| riding ability and crossing the sort of
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| | our bags and camping equipment. They
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| terrain described in the brochure. I
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| | stayed discreetly out of the way when we
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| remember on the first trip, the briefing
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| | were riding unless needed for water etc
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| session was held in a fabulous Bedouin
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| | and they went on ahead to find resting
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| style restaurant in the capital Amman. I
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| | places and overnight campsites.
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| thought that I was the most inexperienced
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| | Sometimes a rider decided a rest was
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| rider of the whole group and asked
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| | needed and so swopped their horse for a
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| Ishmael, who owns the local tour company
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| | seat in one of the trucks.Camping was the
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| out there, to make sure that I had a very
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| | most wonderful fun and I was surprised at
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| quiet horse.The next day we left Amman
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| | how everyone forgot about their complex
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| and set off in a mini bus down the Desert
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| | lives at home and wanted to stay in the
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| Highway, which is the main motorway
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| | desert forever with few or little
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| through Jordan, from Syria to Saudi
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| | possessions. We were fed ample freshly
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| Arabia. The journey was full of sights
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| | cooked food that was delicious and wine,
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| new to our Western eyes. We passed
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| | beer and soft drinks were provided. We
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| convoys of colourful trucks transporting
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| | all sat around the fire exchanging
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| goods to Saudi and at the side of the
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| | stories and learning about the Bedouin
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| highway in the scrubby desert were small
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| | way of life. We heard the men singing
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| settlements of concrete very basic single
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| | love songs to the horses to keep them
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| storey dwellings. We could see children
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| | calm. One night, members of a local tribe
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| running around amongst the goats and
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| | visited us and we had a really enjoyable
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| donkeys and camels. We passed a local
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| | and spontaneous evening. We found the
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| farmer with a camel sitting calmly in the
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| | Bedouins to be a very proud and
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| back of his 4WD Pickup. Our driver waved
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| | hospitable race with a great sense of
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| to him and he pulled in at the side of
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| | humour.On each trip, the crew made us a
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| the road for us take photos of his
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| | makeshift shower so everyone could have a
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| strange and unconcerned passenger. We
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| | thorough wash. I remember how wonderful
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| stopped at a roadside tourist shop to buy
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| | it was to feel clean and refreshed. I
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| typical Arab scarves known as kufeyyas,
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| | sat on a high rocky ledge above the
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| which would prove indispensable against
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| | horses with a can of cold lager to watch
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| the harsh sun and later we picked up some
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| | the sun go down and the colours of the
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| dates and huge blocks of ice from a local
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| | desert change.Although tents were
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| supermarket.We arrived at the edge of
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| | provided, most of us liked to put our
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| Wadi Rum and the horses were waiting for
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| | sleeping bags on the rocks or just on the
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| us. I looked at them nervously wondering
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| | lovely soft sand. I stayed on my high
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| which one would be mine and hoping it
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| | rocky ledge and lay there watching the
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| would be very quiet. The tack was a
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| | bright stars shooting across the sky and
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| curious affair of blankets and pads
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| | feeling completely at one with the
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| covered in fabric your Grandmother once
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| | mysterious nature of Wadi Rum.At the end
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| had on her settee, plus the saddle and a
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| | of the second trip I sadly said goodbye
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| very basic bridle. We were told to sit
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| | to my horse and the crew at the edge of
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| with legs well forward and reins held
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| | the desert. We were taken by minibus to
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| high in one hand. The horses responded
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| | our luxury five star Hotel in Petra near
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| to body movement and very light neck
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| | to the famous Nabatean city. I strode
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| reining. They jogged in the gait typical
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| | into the reception area with its marble
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| of their breed, which took a bit of
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| | floors and Persian rugs, feeling hot and
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| getting used to. My mare was very quiet
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| | sweaty and covered in red dust. The
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| and didn't jog but liked to roll in the
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| | staff did not bat an eyelid. That night I
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| soft sand without any warning. When we
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| | rolled over and fell out of my king size
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| had got used to our horses and the style
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| | bed because I had got so used to sleeping
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| of riding, we quickened the pace. Just a
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| | on the ground.The next morning a guided
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| shake of the reins and we were cantering
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| | tour of Petra had been arranged for us.
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| fast across the desert floor, weaving in
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| | I spent the whole day there and then
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| and out of the desert broom bushes. It
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| | realized I was late for an appointment at
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| was exhilarating.
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| | the famous Brooke Animal Hospital, near
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| My horsemanship fears soon disappeared
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| | the entrance. There was no time to walk
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| and by the end of the week, I had
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| | so I hired a camel and trotted fast
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| progressed from my quiet mare to one of
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| | through the ancient city with the owner
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| the liveliest horses on the trip.Each day
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| | running behind me. When the camel
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| was different as we rode around the
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| | reached the Treasury I had to leave it
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| desert through deep red rock canyons and
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| | but was then given a horse to ride at top
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| ascended the airy heights of enormous
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| | speed to the hospital. I just made it in
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| rippled dunes. We stood on the very edge
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| | time to have a tour with the Head Vet and
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| and marveled at the scenery below. We saw
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| | give a donation to the charity. Indiana
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| the Seven Pillars of Wisdom made famous
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| | Jones eat your heart out!The next day a
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| by T.E Lawrence; we found secret water
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| | few of us hired a car and driver and were
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| springs used only by the Bedouin; we
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| | taken down to the famous port of Aqaba on
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| passed camel trains and goat herders; we
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| | the Red Sea. It has one of the finest
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| saw rock paintings thousands of years
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| | corral reefs in the world and we spent
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| old. Only very occasionally did we see
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| | our last day, before the flight home,
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| tourists but most of the time we were on
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| | snorkeling and relaxing on the beach. It
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| our own. The horses were game and lively
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| | was a fitting end to a fantastic
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| and gave the whole journey a sense of
| |
| | holiday.My riding trip to Jordan was over
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| gaiety. When we came to a stretch of
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| | but will never be forgotten. And
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| flat desert, we galloped all together in
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| | hopefully, there will always be another
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| one long row, one arm raised like Arab
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| | adventure waiting for me out there in the
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| warriors charging.Once we spied a Bedouin
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| | desert.Visit Jordan with Equitour
|
| tent complete with Toyota and camels in
| |
| | Worldwide Riding Holidays once and you
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| the distance. One of the crew phoned the
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| | will be enchanted. Visit a second time
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| sheik on his mobile and we were invited
| |
| | and you will be welcomed like an old
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| over for coffee in his tent. We asked if
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| | friend.
|
