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Get onboard for Adventure Desert
Published on Sat, Oct 14, 2006 at 09:06, Updated on Tue, Jun 26, 2007 at 12:14 in Wild Wacky World section
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Shekhawati (Rajasthan): After selling the royal experience in the land of kings, the new age tour packages in Rajasthan are now hard-selling a peek into the life of the desert.
When Robert was figuring out what to do in his break from studies he stumbled on 'Relief Riders', a tour package to India with the most exciting mix.
Horse safaris into the desert, taking turns to live out of tents and the leftovers of heritage buildings and getting to see what he'd seen only in coffee table books – underdressed kids running around in the streets.
“We don't have half-naked children running barefoot on rocky dusty terrain. I've seen broken glass on the ground sometimes and random debris!” says Robert.
The itenary includes holding medical camps for the villagers and distributing essentials at schools in the villages and giving away livestock.
It’s something that many of these riders believe does good things to the way they feel about themselves, giving them a comfort zone of philanthropy even if it comes in fleeting flashes.
“But when the cause is great you don't worry about the details so much. Like I don't often take a bath with a bucket out in the desert but it doesn't bother me,” says another tourist, Chris.
But it is not just the poverty. In fact most find that's striking. It's how comfortable people are with it that's even more awe-inspiring.
“Relief riders? Yes, are you joking? The phone is ringing off the hook. I never thought it would turn out this way. But we're full up. It's a question of championing leaders to be able to lead my rides and handle this type of work,” says a tour operator, Alexander Souri.
The tour operators say that the two-year old concept is a huge success and this is just the beginning.
(With inputs from Nandini Sircar)
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