Free travel started off in Rishikesh, a beautiful, mountainous region near the Ganges filled with yoga-loving backpackers, and ended with an epic camel trek in the deserts of majestic Jaisalmer. Rishikesh was fun and relaxing for the Carpe Shiva group. We got in a fair amount of down time filled with good food (Oasis hummus being a fave of mine) and shopping (Lil and I got Punjab suits custom made!) as well as ample adventure activities including getting henna as well as our palms read, zip lining super-man style, hiking to a waterfall, spending a day and night on the beach, and rafting the Ganges.
After a week in Rishikesh, we began our painful journey across the country to get to the desert, taking an 8 hour train to Delhi and spending the day there until our next train. At 5 pm that night we boarded our 18 hour train from Delhi to Jaisalmer. Not only was the haul excruciatingly long, but we had RAC seats, meaning each person only had 1/2 a seat (only in India can you buy half a seat!) So we shared 3 full seats among 7 people. Yeah that was fun, not to mention the rowdy group of school boys traveling next to us. But we made it and thankfully the jaw-dropping beauty of Jaisalmer made the painful trip all worth it.
In Jaisalmer we feasted our eyes on castle-like architecture, stone forts, huge, beaded tapestries lining sand-stone walls, and so much more. We spent two nights at a swanky hotel, The Mystic, using our surplus accommodation funds, and filled our days with tours of the forts, shopping, and a trip to the sand dunes to watch the sunset. On our last day in Jaisalmer, we woke up at 6:00 am to begin our camel trek. Despite a bit of temporary muscle discomfort, riding camels through the desert in India was a great last hurrah. And sleeping out in the open air under a sea of stars, heads in dream circle formation, was the icing on the cake.
After a beautiful 2 day camel trekking experience, we arrived back to the city just in time to do some last minute shopping and lassi slurping at our favorite spot before our train back to Delhi.
We’re back in Delhi now, the same spot we started our adventure 3 months ago, and everyone is starting to get nostalgic. Of course I’m sad our journey has come to a close, but I feel as if in some ways it’s just beginning for me. Yes, I am physically leaving India, but it will never leave me. I’m taking the wonder, curiosity, colors, spices, faces, and unforgettable beauty with me. I can’t and won’t undo what I’ve done, un-see what I’ve seen, or unlearn what I’ve learned. Rather I will use what I’ve done, seen, and learned as a jumping off point for more doing, seeing, learning, experiencing, growing, exploring, laughing, questioning, sharing, and loving.
I would like to thank India as well as my amazing Carpe Shiva family for challenging me, teaching me, helping me grow, and always encouraging laughter. Lastly, for all the potential Carpe students reading this blog, I will have you know that despite all the stomach monsters, unyielding snaps from locals, painful train/bus journeys, nasty fumes and pollution, I would do it all over again. And that’s saying something.
Much Love,
Shayna Burack