Whopsie... we are tourists now

So Rachel and I have been attempting to navigate India as TRAVELERS instead of TOURISTS. We don't ever really know what our plans are and we have adventures everyday. We laugh constantly and both have loved almost every experience we have had while here. Yesterday we crossed the line and became tourists. We rode camels. Yup. Camels. We rode 'em. We wanted to take a day trip outside of Jaipur since we had 5 days to spend before we head to Gurgoan for Stew's wedding. Krisna suggested we head into the desert and go on a safari. We thought it would be an adventure and it was so I guess we got what we were looking for. However, the camel ride was not what we were expecting. We were pretty much paraded on our camels thru the main market in town before we headed into the desert. EVERYONE was staring at us and yelling "HI" with their worst American accent. I felt like a complete tourist shmuck. When we finally left town, we entered the Wasteland of Garbage. It was awful. More trash then sand. Oh yeah and flies too. We worked our way past most of the trash and then paraded ourselves thru slums where families live just in the middle of the desert with nothing. Most of the homes are tarps or straw held up with sticks. Children came running up wanting money. So far, everyone has told us not to give the children money so we bought some candy instead. I didn't have enough for them all so I didnt want to give it to some and not others. Rachel pulled hers out and the guide took it and ate it. Classy muther fucker. I sat on my camel and swallowed my tears thinking I would try to never complain about anything else again ever. We finally stopped to watch the sunset as another parade of other tourists pulled up. It was too much. Our guides were busy smoking hash and Rachel and I tried to find a quiet place, but eventually asked to head out just as the sunset was at its most magnificent. We headed back thru a different path and saw many of the same things. Rachel's guide kept blowing snot rockets and mine just giggled from the hashish. We were finally dropped of on a busy road and no idea where our hotel was. We cursed Krisna for suggesting it and went to bed early.

We met a man at the hotel who we call Swami because we don't know his real name and he looks like some sort of yogi or swami in his robe and ash on his forehead. He said he is working on a major project for mankind to end suffering and sadness from the earth. He said his pen writes his book as he is guided by higher powers. He mentioned that he has met people who are thousands of years old who disappear in front of him and have placed their hands on his head to make him fly. So.... we either met an amazing spiritual man or just another dude in the desert who like hashish. What do you think? :)

So we head to Gurgaon tomorrow and I am just about ready. It will be fun to see Stew since I haven't seen him since we were about 13 years old. I am hoping to find an Internet cafe that has computers that are newer than 1984 so I can post my pics. For some reason Rachel has been able to load her memory card and I have not. It's frustrating but as my friend Melissa just reminded me, I am in India so these things happen. We come home in one week and I cant believe for quickly the time has passed. I'm not sure if I will ever be back in India since there are so many other places I want to travel, so I am trying to soak up as much as possible. I think I am doing a pretty good job so far... you should see the bottom of my shoes. :)