Crossing Saudi Stage 2 week 3 and as a team, we have got into a routine. Alarm at 4.45; breakfast surprise – will it be eggs or beans or our favourite of liver?; leave at 6.00, then walk until our much-anticipated tea break at 9.30. After that we forge on to camp, have lunch and then hide under a bush for shade until the sun sets. After that there is a blessed hour when we sit round the campfire and drink Sudanese coffee – jabana – and chat. If I can keep my eyes open past 8.30 it’s a miracle.

Juicy and Lulu are usually full of beans in the morning, looking around at everything from their superior height and bellowing when their ceremonial trappings go on. They know that there are orange peel treats available at break time and sidle up to us pretending to be very, very interested in eating from the tree we are sitting under.

Darb Zubayda

We have been walking along Darb Zubayda, which is an old pilgrimage route from Kufa in Iraq to Mecca. Zubayda was the wife of the famous Abbasid ruler, Haroun Al Rashid and when she did her own pilgrimage she had a miserable time. No water, no shelter and miles and miles of dusty plains. When she got back home she decided to put in place facilities for other pilgrims and so in 750 CE, she started building water stations and shelters every 20km or so along the route. These are called birkas and although most of the ancient ones are no longer working, modern ones have been set up. Entrepreneurial water trucks come to them and fill up and then go and sell to the surrounding shepherd’s enclosures – uzbas. A truck of water will cost you around £20.

Our route is right out in the wilderness and so are meeting very few people. An occasional pick up roars out of the dust and usually stops to say hello. Our main encounters have been with camel herders, tending their animals on the way. Many of them are Sudanese which is where Abu Ahmed comes in extremely handy. As a fellow countryman, he is always met with pleasure.

Birkas on the Darb Zubayda

On Friday, as we trotted up to one of the modern birkas, we saw a big herd of white camels to our right. Abu Ahmed waved to the herder, Mohammed, who was riding a big black she-camel and he came over. ‘Have you got any camel milk?’ Shaya asked after we had exchanged greetings and then almost gave the poor man a heart attack by leaping into his arms and hugging him when he said yes.

Abu Sagheer came over with two empty litre water bottles, ‘How are we going to get the milk from the teat into those little openings.?’ I thought. We spent about half an hour chasing camels to find one who was ready to be milked. These were mizayeen camels which are particularly prized for their beauty. They are white and have droopy noses and lower lips, long necks and ears set well back. They are also the softest, sweetest animals and all approached to be stroked and petted. I didn’t have enough hands.

Mohammed expertly squeezed the milk into the bottles, fighting a little with the calf who was also trying to get in on the action. I immediately had to try some of the warm, frothy milk. It is the most delicious thing.

Do follow the journey next week on the Alice in wAnderland podcast and on Instagram/X/TikTok and YouTube where I am @aliceoutthere1.

And please share Crossing Saudi stage 2 week 3 if you enjoyed it.

The expedition logistics are by the excellent Khalid Al Rabiah of MAD Adventures with navigation by Alan Morrissey – a man of much patience. With me walking is funny and strong Shaya Al Shaya, Abu Ahmed is in charge of Juicy and Lulu and jabana coffee and Abu Sagheer is chef extraordinaire.

For more info on the country www.visitsaudi.com and Intrepid Travel do great Saudi trips