India family

Re-entering India from Nepal over two weeks ago presented a huge shift for me. I had reached a low in my emotions and as soon as I stepped foot back in India I felt much happier and solid again.

All the India-isms that had become annoying starting a month and a half into my trip were revived back to the amusing quirks of India that, when in a fresh state of mind, I am able to laugh instead of feeling agitated.

I returned to Pushkar and, one month after my first visit here, the vibe had changed. Now, replacing the group tours (complete with nametags and strolling the streets in a single file line) are the hippies and long-term travelers.

This is much more my scene. March is the end of Rajasthan’s tourism season. Now that it’s the end of March it is a calmer feel with much less people…because it’s hot.

Really hot.

The middle of the day finds the normally packed touristy streets almost empty. I spend a few hours each afternoon seeking shade and an overhead fan. Today it was 85 degrees in my room, which is the coolest place I can find. There are very noticeable seasonal changes in India and knowing where to go when for the optimal conditions is essential when planning a trip.

The travelers willing to brave the heat to avoid the peak tourism season are a type that I resonate with the best. So the timing for me being here now is perfect for where I’m at…

I had become tired from all my interactions being initial encounters where the same series of questions are addressed:

What is your name?

Where are you from?

Where have you been already?

Where are you going?

How long have you been here?

How much time do you have in India?

How much time do you have left before you go home?

Is it your first time to India?

And so on…

Don’t get me wrong; I really love to meet people while traveling. In fact, it’s one of my favorite aspects of being here. But imagine if you never have an opportunity to speak in familiar vernacular (and slang) about deeper or familiar topics for months on end.

Ok, I shouldn’t say I never have deep conversations. I do. But I only have a handful of conversations/meetings with these people before we move on (or stay)…and possibly never see each other again.

I was feeling ready to create a feeling of family with people I meet again and again.

Finding the right guest house is essential.

For me, it’s not about having some nice room…

It’s about what’s outside my door.

And in the guest house where I stay there is a sandy courtyard with a Champa tree in the center. All the rooms’ doors open up into the courtyard where we listen to music (either from my ipod or created by the many musicians in our midst), we chill out, talk about our day…or just sit in silence together watching the 5 turtles that live beneath the Champa tree go about their lives eating okra, walking the courtyard’s perimeter or just sitting still. Occasionally a Champa flower falls making itself available to one of us to smell its fragrance and add it to our shrines.

I love it here and I love these people because it’s a consistent group of friends who I can get to know better. I can put my energy into developing deeper friendships instead of the exhausting efforts of hopping from person to person only scratching the surface.

The biggest bonus of all is that these people come to India every year like me so I can look forward to seeing them again and again. Having friends like this is special for me because one of the most important priorities that has developed in my life is to travel to India.

These people share this passion and it is in their company when I feel I have truly found my tribe.

In the circles I have at home I feel that I am different in this way and have no one to share my greatest passion.

It is refreshing to be in the midst of like-kind folks for a few months of every year.

Differing priorities

Passions

India

photos are here

video is here