Zelgadis has experience in desert travel and his ability to summon water will make him either lots of friends or enemies of whoever would rather the strangers NOT disrupt economic relations. He can play it by ear (though someone besides him should be the 'face').

He's going to be drawn to the ruins, mostly out of habit. He'll have problems talking to the locals, but he's gotten a lot better at it than he started.

Also, given the transportation and danger issues, Zel won't insist on being alone the way he does in canon. He'd rather not have to walk back to the Turtle.