How to train your camel

In the 1970s, Robyn Davidson made a journey across the Australian outback with her beloved dog and four naughty camels. It took an incredible 9 months, and she completed this mostly alone.

‘Tracks’ is her travelogue.

Robyn started in Alice Springs, arriving with only $6, the wrong clothes, and the idea to train some wild camels.

Robyn is brilliantly defiant, and at times frustrating and chaotic. She fiercely pushes people away, as she wants to see who she is when she is truly alone without society telling her how to be. She expresses a sense of freedom by walking naked through the desert, and confronts fears head on.

Usually adventure stories are focused on ‘man versus wilderness’. I greatly appreciated the subversion of this idea to become ‘woman versus society’s expectations’.

The book is filled with disastrous mishaps, battles with prickly locals, heart-warming friendships, scrounging up supplies, details of desert life, and majestic descriptions of the landscape. You will see how alive and colorful the desert can be.

There are also insightful critiques of the dark side of Australian culture, including racism, political corruption, and sexism. I was impressed by how progressive her values were for the time, and it was also interesting to notice some things that we would now consider out of date.

I gritted my teeth through the relatable anecdotes of threatening men, as it seems like not much has changed since the time of the book. (Have you ever noticed how the men who tell women to ‘stay safe, it’s dangerous for you to be alone’ are exactly the kind of men we are trying to avoid?)

Robyn’s endurance and determination remind us that you won’t know what you’re capable of until you actually try.

Her journey is deeply cathartic.

‘Tracks’ will endure as an Australian classic for years to come.

4 out of 5 precious water wells

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