Pushkar!

Hi everyone!

I am in Pushkar, like the subject says. All of India is plagued by shitty keyboards. I think it's the dust. Anyways, Pushkar is a an old desert city of which I have limited knowledge. All I know is that there are a lot of temples, and during the high season this place is flooded with hippies and other stoners. Within an hour or arriving, John and I were offered a joint at a restaurant, and I was offered more while enjoying a chai and a book at a roof top cafe. If it's not a joint, it's a "special lassi" made with baang. Either way, this town attracts a certain type of tourist. It's a little like the Indian version of Amsterdam.

Getting here was a trip. First we had to ride three on a motorbike about 4 miles to a neighboring village for a bus. The bus stalled twice! The firt time, the driverwas able to open the hood and jimmy with something. The second time a few strong men were called out to push Little Miss Sunshine style. The driver did the thing with the clutch and the engine started again. After an extremely long ride, stopping at ten stations, we made it to Ajmer. But we didn't have any time to check it out. We had to hop on the next bus out of there to get to Pushkar. It seemed like everyone in all of Rajasthan was also on the bus. It was so packed! I had my back pack on my front side and with every jerk, my pack rubbed against some lady's head. After a while she looked up at me like, "Uh... watch it with the bag, lady!" But there wasn't anything I could do. I had about four square inches for my size 9-1/2 feet and I was swaying like an acrobat from the grab bar. I also had some dude's abdomen ( and his other business) pressed firmly against my side. Did I mention that Pushkar is in the mountains? So to get there the bus had to crawl up about 45 minutes of switchback roads. It was a good example of the phrase hell on earth.

When we finally arrived at the Pushkar bus stop, we started walking to the city center. It's the off season, so we were able to bargain down the price of the rooms to about $3.50 a night. But traveling through the off season comes at a price. It is so unbearably hot! It is at least 110 degrees.

I bought some new clothes for this trip for when I'm traveling after my internship is over. I got a skirt and two tunic style tops. The only problem is that both clothes show parts of my body that have mostly been covered for the last three weeks. I don't think I know many people who would bother shaving while interning in India, and I certainly haven't. Yesterday a waiter at a cafe said I look French. I couldn't help but think it was because of my underarm hair showing from under my tunic. Part of me wants to buy some razors, and another part thinks I should just own it. I'm surrounded by hippies! A little bit of body hair might actually allow me to fit in a bit better.

This morning I woke up before the sun rose. I've been doing this a lot lately. Usually, I head to bed at around 10:30 and with seven hours of sleep I wake easily and naturally at 5:30ish. I went up to the roof top with the intention of watching the sunraise. John and I had loose plans to head out to a temple at around 7:00, so I didn't bother waking him. I sat in solitude waiting for that epic moment that I would tell people about later. I waited and I waited. Moments earlier, I had dashed out of my room moments earlier without a trip to the bathroom, and it was catching up with me. But I stayed on the rooftop. What if I missed it? The sky was growing lighter and lighter, so I waited. I had to pee so bad but I waited. I began to worry that John would see my locked door and assume I left without him but I continued to wait. I tried to meditate (because that's what do in India, right?) and I waited some more.

The sky and clouds were illuminated! The sun was thisclose to making her daily debut! But I was about to pee my pants! And I hate to say it, but I was a little bored. Why didn't I bring my book? I was also worried that John would wake up, knock on my door and I wouldn't be there. All in all, I realized that I simply may not be the type of person can wait patiently and meditate on a roof top in India while enjoying the sunrise.

And I'm ok with that.

I walked back to my room, used the restroom and knocked on John's door. He was gone! I wrote a note on my door telling him I was out looking for water. I left the hotel and walked down to the main road and I saw him at this little tea stop. I took the seat next to him and could tell he was a little annoyed because he thought I left without him. But he got over it and we headed out to this little coffee and breakfast place. This place specializes in coffee, something not too common in rural Rajasthan. It was a great start to the day.

Bye!