We arrive at Jaisalmer at maybe 7 in the morning after the sticky non A/C train journey. Our hotel is just a cheap one which we are using to have a quick fresh up before we head out to a “Rajasthani village” which like the Rajasthani village in Jaipur has been created for the tourist gaze. Between two jeeps, it carries thirteen exchange students, two chaperones, two drivers and very little baggage. Today might be one of the most exciting things we did on tour. After we arrive, throw all baggage in one of the room and a cup of chai, we get ready for CAMEL RIDE.
We have two camel rides today. One hour long ride into the desert and dunes and one hour long ride back to our village. We all sit on our camel while our camel wallahs lead them. You’d be surprised how much leg strength you need to stay on a camel. The camels trotted straight into the dunes.
You know those moments where you see something so beautiful and you feel like your life is at complete peace? Yeah, looking out over the blue sky and the golden sandy dunes was breathtaking. We spent our time in the dunes, running down the hills, pushing each other into the dunes and taking jumping pictures in the sunset. You can imagine how much sand was EVERY.WHERE.
We had our second camel ride back into our “village” where we would enjoy some traditional dancing and food (Two things Indians cannot live without). We sat in the cold evening desert. Two women, and a man wearing stage make up dance in front of us. Rajasthani dancing includes things like picking up razors with your eye lids, swinging swords around skillfully, dancing on broken glass, and picking various things up when your body is in the “Bridge” position. And of course, it includes voluntelling an audience member to join in. Whenever there is a situation like this, I am always sure I’ll be never chosen (I’m not complaining). Since I pass for an Indian with my tan skin, my nose piercing and my name, I don’t stand out as something special to Indians. They see me and think I am an Indian. Which is nice somethings, but other times I am hurt like a four year child when all the attention is being given to a fair and lovely, blue eyed, blond haired girl right beside me. Sometimes it’s like I could just be an object, that’s how much Indians won’t notice me.
But surprisingly, I am chosen today. I’m trying to follow my skilled dance partner. I feel like I did a good job. Soon after my turn in the spot light everyone joins in. We love dancing like Indians. In fact, it’s becoming habit whenever I hear a beat to point my index fingers to the sky and shrug my shoulders to the beat, regardless of the music genre. The 13 of us start doing it together, at each other. The snake charmer dance, the Bollywood desi dance, the dances we “learned” for our district conference. Our Rajasthani dancers join in with us. I like to believe they’ve never had such a lively bunch of foreign students dancing.
Our plan was to sleep in the cabins at the “village” but we changed it when RK said we could camp out in the dunes. Uhhh….DUH! We jump in two jeeps with no baggage. We get to a little area of 5 tents. Jordan lies down and looks at the stars, and soon enough we were all lying together, head in something stomach as a pillow star gazing. A fire is started and some are gathered around it, other are talking in different tents. As much as I don’t want to sleep, I have to. I’m passing out with my face in sand basically. So Anais, Brii and I claim a tent as our own and fall asleep for five hours before we are awoken for sunrise.
We have two camel rides today. One hour long ride into the desert and dunes and one hour long ride back to our village. We all sit on our camel while our camel wallahs lead them. You’d be surprised how much leg strength you need to stay on a camel. The camels trotted straight into the dunes.
You know those moments where you see something so beautiful and you feel like your life is at complete peace? Yeah, looking out over the blue sky and the golden sandy dunes was breathtaking. We spent our time in the dunes, running down the hills, pushing each other into the dunes and taking jumping pictures in the sunset. You can imagine how much sand was EVERY.WHERE.
SUCH a dope picture of Kelsey.
Goodness Serenity is a cutie.
Amanda bundled up.
Getting desi in the desert
Silliness. I wanna point out that Franzi was just posing like that and we clicked the photo just right for it looked like she was running with us.
RYE life
I get annoyed when people don't have the same kind of jump in jumping pictures. Like, while someone is in the high, three other people are already landing, or not bending their legs enough to get as much air as possible...so we held practice jumps and instructions, led by me. Literally no one is listening.
Happiness.
After the joys of jumping pictures, and getting ready to go back to the village, I held my arms out I yelled "I am so happy right now! Someone hug me!" So Kelsey ran into my arms, and we lost balance, but she caught us before we fell.
Then Jordan and his rudeness decided to run into us which lead to all three of us eating sand.
And I was not ok with it.
Prettty.
We had our second camel ride back into our “village” where we would enjoy some traditional dancing and food (Two things Indians cannot live without). We sat in the cold evening desert. Two women, and a man wearing stage make up dance in front of us. Rajasthani dancing includes things like picking up razors with your eye lids, swinging swords around skillfully, dancing on broken glass, and picking various things up when your body is in the “Bridge” position. And of course, it includes voluntelling an audience member to join in. Whenever there is a situation like this, I am always sure I’ll be never chosen (I’m not complaining). Since I pass for an Indian with my tan skin, my nose piercing and my name, I don’t stand out as something special to Indians. They see me and think I am an Indian. Which is nice somethings, but other times I am hurt like a four year child when all the attention is being given to a fair and lovely, blue eyed, blond haired girl right beside me. Sometimes it’s like I could just be an object, that’s how much Indians won’t notice me.
But surprisingly, I am chosen today. I’m trying to follow my skilled dance partner. I feel like I did a good job. Soon after my turn in the spot light everyone joins in. We love dancing like Indians. In fact, it’s becoming habit whenever I hear a beat to point my index fingers to the sky and shrug my shoulders to the beat, regardless of the music genre. The 13 of us start doing it together, at each other. The snake charmer dance, the Bollywood desi dance, the dances we “learned” for our district conference. Our Rajasthani dancers join in with us. I like to believe they’ve never had such a lively bunch of foreign students dancing.
Bliss.
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