Ok, I know, a heady title. But there's a funny story behind it. Not that I consider myself a current or former poster child for Youth & Beauty......
Recently, on my trip to Morocco, a friend I was traveling with (who spoke Arabic) was offered 500 camels for me in a small country town during a rest stop.
Flattering, possibly, when you consider a good camel can be bought for about 1500 euros. My perceieved value by this berber gentleman farmer is $592,500 USD. The problem (well, one among many) is that approximately 10 years ago on my first visit to Morocco, my then boyfriend was offered 8,000 camels for me, or $9,480,000. Of course, then I had long hair that was blond, and youth on my side.
Jump forward to last week. I'm creeping up on 40 and have short auburn hair, and it appears I've suffered a 93.75% depreciation in overall net value. Fortunately, because my friend was a good negotiator and could do so in Arabic, he was able to get the value bumped up to 625 camels, 93 goats, 2 horses (male and female), and a female donkey, with some chickens thrown in for good measure.
Unfortunately, with my current rate of personal depreciation in Morocco, next year I'll be worthless. Though that could be an interesting travel aspect in an of itself - as in perhaps whatever friend I have with me won't be solicited to sell me.
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I should add a PS note here. A friend, who is much wiser in the ways and means of valuation than I, suggested that I hadn't taken into account the potential appreciation rate of the farm stock in the trade deal, and that perhaps, there was the potential for personal appreciation as well, such as the valued aging of a fine wine. All I can say is, I've got a very good friend indeed!
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