Hott

Check-check-check-check it out. I know I've been horrible at updating and that while some may not mind, others find it frustrating. Ahem. So, just thought I'd let you know how it's kickin in INDIA. Feels more and more like normal life to be hopping in tuktuks, haggling, avoiding cows, motorcycles, touts, and camels. Love it. My descriptions will not doanyofitjustice, as I'm not sure these stories are capable of being told. The immensity of experiences on many different levels makes it so. But here is a watered-down version to whet a small appetite for news :) Hope this finds you all well and enjoying life wherever you are.

O.K.

First off:
Ladiessss.
Goodness gracious how time flies; it seems only yesterday we were meeting our new Tibetan families. *Sigh* But on to more adventures. I haven't spoken to many of you since that fateful day in McLeod when the bus almost left--without us. I really do wish I would have been able to say proper goodbyes and thank yous to all of you. You have all been amazing teachers and I can't wait to see you all in the awesome city of Portland. In jeans! Haha. But seriously, thank you for that fantastic month. And thank you to the ladies lugging the extra bags; I hope you all made it home without too much hassle. Debbie and Steph, you ladies are phenomenal co-travelers; whatever personal sacrifices you made on our journey to Varanasi and Delhi, thanks--I know we all were feeling overwhelmed on some level at some point. You two gave me so much more confidence to travel alone and lo and behold, here I am!
Maria, your update was so mysterious! I definitely want to hear more about your experiences. I was thinking of going to Manali, but without a Tibetan "guide" I don't think a smelly hill station is for me. I'm so happy to hear about your travelling though :) When were you in Jaipur??? Love it. Tell me more tell me more !
Asia, I know you're lovin on Italy now that your tumtum roubles are--hopefully???--over. Live it up and get your tan on. Eat as much bread as possible; there's just no comparison in the US.
SO. Onwards. Still in India, will most likely remain until the end of June. If you all noticed, not as many tourists in India right now because it's so hot. So where do I decide to go? To the desert. Of course. My solo adventure started just right, with me almost missing my train because it was leaving from NEW Delhi station, not OLD Delhi station. Thank you, metro. Delhi has grown on me :) All or nothing.
Anyway, on my way to the off-season desert state Rajasthan, happy to be in 3AC. Rajasthan is so different from the other areas of India. Sunday I hopped a night train to Jaisalmer, where I arrived around 13:00. Because they need tourism like the desert needs rain, as soon as I walked out of the station, about 15 tuktuk drivers swarmed, some actually pulling on my arms; not a happy welcoming. But I managed to hop a ride to my hotel for cheap. I'm not travelling in my usual haphazard style; it's been on planned vouchers that I'm hopping through Rajasthan. It is a little odd, but it definitely gives me more time to explore rather than plan and sit in travel agencies. This trip is surreal. That first afternoon in golden Jaisalmer, I finally wandered like I like to do but haven't. The city and area is known for honey-colored stone that glows at sunset, and the old fort, havelis, and Maharaja palace have the most intricate carvings. The dreamlike beauty of the desert was just starting. As I walked into an upstairs private palace courtyard, a massive wind blew overhead and the sky went from blue to yellow. I felt like I was in a different planet. As the huge sand- and dust storm blew in, my little square of sky deepened to blood red and then the sand completely blacked out any sunlight. It was 4pm and as dark as midnight. Dust was blowing everywhere and I wish I had had Steph's camel-lashes. Thankfully, the outdoor nerd had brought her headlamp, so I made my way past slamming windows and doors to the entrance to the palace museum. A small group of workers--all covered in dust--sat in the office, chatting excitedly. They were psyched to hear it was my first day; they said I brought luck because none of them had seen a storm such as this in any of their lifetimes; the oldest there was ~55 years old. A beautiful rarity. They promised a free entrance to the museum if I returned the next morning, which I happily obliged. When the dust settled (literally), I walked out of the fort and started past a covered veggie market. As if the dust wasn't enough, the skies opened and it poured. I dodged under the tarps and sat with a lovely Rajasthani women who fed me bananas and gave me chai. The others in the market--all friends--were laughing and chatting loudly while I snapped photos with them. They said again that I was lucky; it was the first rain since October of last year. Oh boy. Sitting like a queen in bright orange and green Rajasthani dress amongst tomatoes, pumpkins, and "lady-fingers", Gopi gave me her address to send the photos. I wasn't sure how reliable "vegetable market" was as a post addy, so I had the snaps printed; I would give them to her my last day in Jaislamer. Next day I finished off my museum tour and went wandering Gandhi Chowk. I thought Varanasi was hot at 44.9 degrees Celsius. Try this: a cool 47/48* in Jaisalmer. Breezy. Whilst wandering I saw a sign for a Thar Heritage Museum. A private collection, the artifacts were dusty but beautiful, and the owner, Laxmi, clearly has passion--if not funds--for preserving the historical record. After showing me around, we sat, drank chai, and discussed so many topics (including a small book he wrote about Jaisalmer) that I almost missed my jeep to head off into the desert. Most folks in Jaisalmer love to sit and chat over chai about almost anything, even with huge language gaps. It's great. Made it in time to drive ~45 km from town to a little desert resort where a lovely family gave me a simple hut for myself. Clouds rolled in, and I rolled out on the back of my main man, Bubbaloo. The camel. Kind of love camels right now. Perfect, considering secret night-time camel rides figure prominently in most desert love stories. Anyway, out on a camel on some sand dunes, we take a sit-down (they actually kneel and sit!), ANOTHER dust/sand storm. Crazy. Trotting back to the huts, we get back in time for more rain! Surya and his family are so happy, they say I am lucky for them. Feeling psyched just to be in the beautiful desert (~150km from Pakistan), home-cooked food and desert hospitality makes it one experience not to forget and I know I will be back.
Returning to Jaisalmer in the morning, I go to tour Patwa-ki Haveli with its honeyed lattice screens and mirrored parlour. Due to some unfortunate happenings, it was a very short tour.
Towards the evening, picked up my photos (after waiting with the plumber next door (more chai!) for the photo shop owner to return from his nap at home), picked up some bhang cookies and had my palm read all in the same room, and went to present the snaps to Gopi and friends. She was so stoked to see me, immediately more chai showed up, they were all slapping backs, making fun, and admiring photos of their friends. She gave me two matchingbagles--one for each arm--from her own, calling me her new sister. I was invited to her house for chapati and dinner before my night train. I was extremely hesitant at first, but I am so glad I agreed. Her husband, Rawan, pickedusup in their car from the market and we headed out of town to Barhbagh. Another sandstorm made it darker than the clock claimed. We stopped once to see beautiful cenotaphs overlooking a dried lake.
They were so happy to have a guest. Their house is in-the-works, but promises to be a beautiful desert home with a sick view of the cenotaphs, hills, and the most incredible lightning storm I have ever seen. We all sat together in the makeshift kitchen--Gopi, me, her son, daughter, and mother-in-law--and I had another delicious, simple meal with good folk. They almost had me stay the night, but I needed to catch my train, so they drove me all the way back to the station only after making me promise that WHEN I came back, I would stay with them, my new Rajasthani family.
I was sad to leave, seeing the light of my headlamp alternating with lightning (the boy was fascinated by it and it was an easy gift to give), but much more happy about future travels.
Hopped into the upperberth on a seemingly all-male train and arrived in Jodhpur yesterday morning. Ater a nap, decided to try my hand at walking and exploring. Note to self: have some idea where the hotel is before attempting to orient oneself to a map and then following random roads. In brief, I spent several hours walking around in the hottest part of the day with no idea where I was in smelly New Jodhpur. Ah well, live and learn. When my pride was sufficiently burnt, tuktuk-ed my way to an empty restaurant, outside of which I had to fight off a drunk. But good alu paratha! Walked for ages--lost again, haha--through old city where many houses are robin-egg blue. Scooted up to the baking-hot, white marble Jaswant Thada, then to the Mehrangarh Fort with a sick view of the city and a pretty neat--albeit rushed--museum tour. One super interesting gallery was part of the Zenana (women's area), where the women--in a system of purdah--could observe unobserved the daily goings-on of court. By the grace of tuktuks, finally made it to the landmark clocktower and Sadar market, but by this time my leather-clad feet were barking, and the brain was a little boiled. Walked in what I thought was a good direction and was immediately stopped in a massive traffic jam. Not just a traffic jam: drums, horns, flags, turbans, and mustachioed men on a camel! LOVE IT. Trying to take photos made it clear that these folks are the opposite of shy and demure; they were clamoring to be in the shot. It crossed the line when I felt myself surrounded by about fifty boys and men and starting to feel hands all over my backside, so I squirmed out of that situation pretty quick. An awkward dinner at the hotel restaurant/disco; I'm starting to think I'm the only guest in the hotel.
Today, hit up the Maharaja's MASSIVE pink palace overlooking the city, then the saddes museum and zoo known to man in the Umaid "gardens." Back to the clock tower for famous markhani (saffron) lassis, then taking mass snaps of spices led me to one shop where part of Darjeeling Limited was filmed. Perfect. Took photos in the same spot as Jason Swartzman, met brother of the owner of the motorcycle used in the film and picked up some "world famous" Winter Tonic (aka MAGICAL SEX POWDER). Can't wait! Hahaha. Got some saffron and masala tea makings too, before heading to a temple and then getting lost some more. Pretty fun, besides one somewhat scary situation, although I cannot find a henna shop to save my life. I really want to find a place in Rajasthan as I am lovin on the desert life.
I move on tomorrow morning to Udaipur, and then Agra, Delhi, and up to Haridwar for some relaxation in Rishikesh. That will put me in Uttarkhand June 27th.
Some of you have some idea, but for those with whom I have not spoken in a while, my summer plans are to remain crazy and haphazard. Barring any hitches in getting a visa, I plan on flying to Turkey to spend some days in Istanbul, and then working my way along the Mediterranean and eventually up to England, where my papa (he bought aticket--it's on!) will meet me on my birthday! Yay! Super stoked for that present :)
Wow. This started out as a simple "I'm still alive" but when I start writing...whoo boy. Hope all y'all *wink* are happy and well and I WILL see you soon, because, as we've learned, what goes around comes around.
Loves.
PS: Indian phone number: 09621978830