We meet historian Sami Nawar and our Sudanese camel handler, Awad Omran, at the University of Business and Technology — a campus marooned in the asteroid belt of the city. We unload our two lanky steeds, Fares and Seema, from a truck. Sami celebrates with Dunkin Donuts. Other Saudi friends and helpers come out to wave. Jeddah hums behind us. Ahead: 700 miles of the Hejaz desert. We walk.
