Claus & Johannes race each other up with Michael & Laura not far behind them. When I get there (15minutes later) I ask "where is the German flag?" which raises some laughs. Geoff follows with "did you put the beach towels down already"which I find hilarious and so do they. I'm in a group of people who all have amazing an sense of humour and we are all enjoying the healthy banter :)
When I turn around on myself and look back the view makes the early rise and sweat all worthwhile! It's breathtaking with the reds and yellows of Sunrise giving Pushkar an even greater special glow.
We sit and watch the monkeys playing, being hand fed biscuits, see the day break whilst sipping chai tea and I'm in my own little peace of heaven.
After a siesta back at the hotel, Erin
and I take the 15 minute walk back into town for a spot of shopping. Once we get in to the centre we go our separate ways so Erin can grab some breakfast. I wander through the markets attracting seemingly more attention as a solo traveller. A group of teenage girls, hardened to their environment, approach me, telling me I have pretty eyes and ask me to follow them to their shop for drinks telling me about their friend "Peter" who lives in England. Ricky had warned us that there is an underworld drugging problem in Pushkar where tourists are targeted & scammed due to the relatively high volume passing through and my instincts tell me these girls are bad news. I make my excuses and one of them grabs my hand trying to push henna on it. I snatch it away making it very clear I am leaving. Shortly after this a group of leering boys say hello hello pretty lady - I smile politely and one shouts "I remember you from sex last night". It seems, despite covering myself with shapeless baggy clothes here, when travelling on your own as a western woman you are sometimes still viewed as an easy and a loose westerner (hush). These encounters are the only negative ones I have had so far. The majority of people have been unbelievably friendly and are delighted that you have chosen to visit their country with many smiles and "Welcome to India" remarks. People believe here that your actions in this life will affect your next one (karma) so knowing right & wrong, being kind, courteous and honest are all hallmarks of the average Indian and traits I wish more people possessed.
Our evening begins getting dressed in traditional clothes (the boys have turbans wrapped) and we meet our transport for the evening - eight camels. Mine is called Johnson and we bond immediately apparently (he sticks his tongue out, bears his teeth and gets a tad excited - ahem). We take the camels on a two hour trek out into rural Pushkar, riding past cane houses, antelope, more cows and acacia trees. The landscape could be the African plains. People come out of their cane & mud houses and scruffy kids wearing t-shirts and no bottoms, run and wave to say hello.
We reach our destination a field with a square concrete structure and some modest tables set up in the field. The priest from yesterday greets us and quickly has his staff running around to look after us. Priests are the highest point of the caste system here. We spend the night being serenaded by traditional musicians and dancers. We all dance together and eat a traditional meal cooked in cauldrons. Ricky busts out some serious Bhangra moves and lots of fun is had by all.
Again the day is rounded off nicely by a campfire on the roof of our hotel. It seems days are fuller, longer and richer here.
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