Amazing Part 12
Their flight took them through Bahrain and soon enough they were on the ground in Oman. The heat was overwhelming and Annie tried to keep cool without revealing too much skin.
There were 4 wheel drive vehicles waiting for them and a hand-drawn map to a small village.
"Looks like rough terrain, glad we have some decent wheels," Annie commented as she got in the vehicle and found the air conditioning.
The roads were dusty and unmarked, but Annie felt confident she was going in the right direction, but then suddenly out of nowhere was a river with no bridge over it. There were no other teams around which either meant Annie was the only one in the right place or they were in the wrong place.
"Is there a man around, a local?"
"Yes."
"Pull up to him and roll down the window," Auggie instructed.
Auggie spoke to the man in Arabic for a bit, there was a bit of a debate about whether Annie could handle the task, then he fished some coins out of his pocket (unsure of their denomination or currency, but more as a gesture than true payment) and sat back against his seat.
"He'll lead you across, put it in 4 wheel drive and trust him," Auggie instructed.
"OK," Annie smiled and did as she was told.
When they had cleared the water Annie rolled the window down again and smiled at the old man.
"Shukran," she thanked him and he smiled a broad smile of white teeth against his sun-kissed skin.
"Gamila," he responded and turned away.
"Did he just call me beautiful?" Annie asked.
"He did," Auggie smirked.
"Excellent, getting hit on by 80 year old men, love it," Annie teased.
***555***
After another river crossing Annie and Auggie finally made it to the clue box, they had a choice between relocating a camel with a pick-up truck or climbing 3 watchtowers around town looking for a clue. The watchtowers were far apart and several stories high, but camels were a pain in the ass.
"Aren't camels like the most obstinate creatures on the planet?" Annie asked as she shielded her eyes from the sun.
"They can be pretty awful, but I always got along well with them. I am the camel whisperer," Auggie assured and took her arm.
They found the pick-up truck and Annie backed it up to the pulley that would be used to hoist the camel. She and Auggie managed to get the sling under the giant animal that just sat there looking wholly unimpressed with their sweaty efforts.
Auggie's muscle got the pulley lifted and Annie backed the truck up further. Auggie lowered the camel and together they got the sling off. As Auggie was discussing the route with the Bedouins who would accompany them to the camel's new home, three other teams arrived: Brett and Cathy, Brian and Gary and Emily and Rick.
"Did you guys have to cross rivers?" Annie asked still unsure she had gone the right way.
"Yeah, it was wild, took us quite a bit of time to figure out what we were supposed to do," Rick explained.
"Glad you got through, we're off to deliver this camel….somewhere," Annie rolled her eyes at the seeming ridiculousness of it all.
She and Auggie hopped into the truck and Auggie recited directions.
"Wow, this is the middle of nowhere," Annie commented at the vast desert in front of them.
"There were times in Iraq when I thought I would have been better off stationed on the moon. The desert is incredibly frightening and unforgiving, but it can be beautiful in its own way and when you do find life within it it seems miraculous," Auggie looked wistful.
"I did some hiking in New Mexico once, but nothing like this or that," Annie squeezed his hand.
The Bedouin camp appeared as if from nowhere and Annie was pleased to see they had water waiting. She hoped it was for them and not the camel. They got the camel out of the truck without incident and were given cups of water and a clue.
Auggie talked to the camp leader about their next destination and got some tips on getting there faster, there was a tricky interchange back near town. Annie noticed a young girl who was staring at Auggie curiously.
"You have an admirer," she mentioned.
"Who?"
"A little girl, maybe 7," Annie replied.
"Do you have any candy left?"
"I do," she rifled around in her bag and came up with some fruity candy she had picked up in Greece.
"Bring me to her?" Auggie asked as he took the candy.
Annie led him over to her and stood back as he talked to her and gave her the candy. A woman, the girl's mother Annie supposed, watched cautiously but did not interfere with the exchange. Auggie didn't touch the girl and held the candy out for her to take. Annie was amazed by the exchange, by the rules and mores for girls in other parts of the world.
The girl thanked Auggie, giggled and ran off so similar to her nieces but a completely different existence at the same time.
"Sorry for the delay," Auggie stood up from the hard cracked earth.
"No problem," Annie said, her voice a little watery.
Auggie's directions to Hawiyah were very good and Annie had no trouble finding their next challenge. Like the gnome field in Germany Annie was pretty certain this challenge was all hers and since Auggie did the last individual in Greece she just opened the envelope without consulting with him.
"Hungry?" Annie asked.
"Almost always, why?"
"I have to find our dinner in the desert," Annie sighed.
"Huh?"
"There is a burlap sack buried in this field with our lamb cooking in it," Annie explained.
"Good luck," he patted her on the back.
Annie grabbed a shovel and started at one of the nearest mounds, unsure of how deep the parcel would be buried. The sand instantly scratched her eyes and throat and the heat was unbearable.
It took her over 45 minutes to find the sack, Brett and Cathy pulling in as she lugged it back towards their vehicle. Auggie had water waiting for her and she leaned her body heavily against him, he rubbed her back as she sipped the water.
"You OK?" Cathy asked.
Annie just nodded as she continued to drink the water.
"Alright, I can move now," Annie finally said to Auggie just before he started to worry.
"You sure, Walker?"
"Yeah, I thought I was going to puke, but I'm good," she assured him.
"Let's get the AC going in the car," he suggested.
Annie let her body temp and heart rate drop before pulling out and driving the last 15 miles of the day to the Pit Stop.
"Welcome to Jabreen Castle," Gwen smiled.
"Thanks," Annie and Auggie replied weekly but in unison.
"Let me show you around, you both look like you could use some rest," Gwen put a hand on Annie's shoulder.
TBC…
