When Nat King Cole sings, “I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day in the morning,” it calls to mind a regal scene of the three glorious Wise Men gliding along the desert on their majestic camels, effortlessly following the star into the arms of the Christ Child.

But was that really how the journey felt to Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar — all grace, mystique, and ease?

Probably not.

From my vantage point, two thousand years later in south central Wisconsin, here are the three biggest challenges I believe were faced by our intrepid brothers in faith:

#1 Camels

I once met a camel at a petting farm, and it was quite rude to me. I was just trying to admire its unique shape and take a picture, but it did not care for that. I cannot approximate the hiss/growl it barked at me, but it made me jump. I understood its sentiments clearly and left.

A little research confirmed that camels are highly intelligent and sensitive. Like dogs, they form strong connections with their owners. They can be affectionate and loyal to their handlers, but not so much to someone like me who just wanted to snap a pic.

But also like dogs, their feelings can get hurt. If pushed too hard, they’ll retaliate and bite, kick, and spit. They can be vengeful.

The Wise Men traveled hundreds of miles from their home to visit the Christ Child, not in a reliable sedan, but in a caravan of creatures who needed proper care and attention and maybe had their own thoughts about how the journey should go.

That’d be like taking a cross-country road trip, all the while knowing that if you get too ambitious or say something unkind about how your car managed on that patch of ice, it might refuse to start after a pit stop halfway there.

You’d have to win it over — persuading it that the trip was worth the effort and you didn’t really mean what you said about its brake pads — before you could get to your next destination. And if it wasn’t convinced, it might just close the door on your finger when you weren’t looking.

Keeping their mode of transport happy on a long journey had to have been a top priority for the Magi.

#2 The desert

Along with staying on good terms with their camels, the Three Kings also had to contend with the desert. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around how large these deserts are. The Syrian Desert, for one, is almost 200,000 square miles, which is like four Wisconsins big.

Sandstorms are common. Rest stops are not. The Arabian Desert is 900,000 square miles and has actual sand seas. Sand seas!

The desert is boiling hot during the day and bitterly cold at night. The unending expanse of rippled sand looks almost lunar and must feel disorienting at times.

Progress must feel hard-won and impossible to measure, like walking on a treadmill in searing heat while someone throws sand into your eyes.

#3 Doubt

At some point in their journey, maybe when the star wasn’t visible, their camels were fed up, and Balthazar had made one too many bad calls about which route to take, doubt had to have crept in.

Were they really risking their lives on this long-shot journey based on stars and an ancient prophecy?

They could be back at home, in their comfortable dwellings, enjoying their family, friends, and status. Instead, they were out fighting the elements — and probably, at times, each other, as happens on long road trips — for the hope of witnessing God’s glory in the Redeemer. No travel guarantees were promised, which they must have been reminded of when the sun went down, and the desert wind picked up.

And yet, despite it all, their risk paid off. They likely showed up to the Holy Family scraped, scorched, annoyed with each other, and deeply grateful — especially Balthazar — that they weren’t left behind by the others after one too many bad calls. They had made it, together.

I’m sure their trials faded into oblivion at the dimple-knuckled blessing of Baby Jesus and the sweet smile of Mary. Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar went home a different way, new men, remembered throughout history for their faith and courage despite the odds.

I’m sure they considered their hardships, uncertainty, and pain a small price to pay for the overwhelming joy of meeting their tiny Redeemer. I bet their camels thought so, too.