June 3rd.
A huge camel trod over stones on the desolate expanse of the Gobi, its back ridden by a young man clad in khaki exploration gear, who gently tugged at the reins to direct the camel's course.
The scene wasn't particularly odd and didn't differ much from most camel herders; only the young man's appearance was distinctly out of place. Logically, he should have been a tourist, yet he could freely ride alone on the camel, which was quite strange.
But a closer look revealed even stranger peculiarities. The equipment on the camel was very "primitive"—not in function or design, but in material, most of which were even made from woven bark.
Even the poorest camel herder's home would have at least a few carved wooden saddles, draped in leather, ornate with intricate patterns, unlike these unfashionably stark and shabby saddles.
"Getting off a regular camel is rather easy: pull on the reins to halt, slide down from the neck, or dismount from the back."