It's a hundred degrees in the middle of a winter day,
and Abdul is sweating as he carries his basket.
Ignoring the flies that are swarming,
they've come to stay.
It's a holiday when your product is dried camel dung.
You get used to it.
He's only 13,
but he's been up since 4am. It's better
to shift * in the cool of the morning.
It's a long, smelly day for a few dozen D-Ram.
Fifteen brothers and sisters need clothing and feeding.
In the luxury hotel,
the tourists are rising.
Some coffee and quassels before lazing by the
pool.
Thank heavens the weather's so pleasantly surprising.
Perfect for topping up your tan
between long drinks and getting cool.
It's a holiday when you're way too active,
but in this age of aviation it really seems very near.
Though it's too well over the path,
there are people there and people here.
But it's like a million miles when you're riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Abdul is thinking about couscous and sports.
Soccer on a waste ground playing field between rots of cement.
They pay for some boots and some new shorts.
Dreaming of scoring the winning goal in the Tarudark tournament.
Riding a reindeer.
At lunchtime,
the guests are playing bingo in the restaurant.
Over the salmon and special coquillage white wine.
Good heavens,
the winner of the CD players that lady from Finland.
That little white-haired granny who can't
speak English and smiles all the time.
Riding a reindeer.
Every year she pums a smarmy manager whispers to his friends.
Keeps herself to herself,
goes out walking for no good reason.
Pays her bill and then leaves for the North Pole once again.
Of some people strange,
I don't know why she bothers to come here each season.
Riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Over two thousand miles from Helsinki to Agatair.
But in this age of aviation,
it really seems very near.
Though it's too well over the path,
there are people there and people here.
But it's like a million miles when you're riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Adult mother is sick and two babies are starving.
The water from the river was polluted again.
He's so tired, he's so weary.
Scabs on his lips, his mouth is hurting.
Is all life like this?
Constant dull, numb, nagging pain.
Riding a reindeer.
Knock on the door.
It's the village official.
Are you sitting down?
You're very lucky today.
Every year one family is given much money by a
strange little lady with white hair from far away.
Riding a reindeer.
There are clothes,
there is food,
all the children will be fed.
There is school,
he wants to learn reading and writing for the boy.
There are soccer shoes and shorts sucking white with stripes of red.
Tears come to his eyes,
tears of happiness and joy.
Riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
It's over two thousand miles from Helsinki to Agatair.
But in this age of aviation,
it really seems very near.
Though it's too well over the path,
there are people there and people here.
But it's like a million miles when you're riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.
Riding a reindeer.