Adonis, 11th Grader Melrose High School
The desert was the part of the trip that I was looking forward to a little more than any other destinations. Before I mention that experience, Pushkar is a very interesting place. We visited the only Brahma Temple in the world there. I choose to walk barefoot throughout the ghats and temple to show respect and expose myself to the full ‘Indian experience.’ This city was the first time that we were fully surrounded by Indians as we walked through the streets. The Indians we met seemed to enjoy watching our group. I cannot blame them because NO ONE here really looks like our group. Our hair, our clothes, our skin were all very different to them. As we waited in line to get inside the Brahma Temple Indians asked to take selfies with our group as if we were celebrities. Some in our group enjoy this spotlight while others shy away from the extra attention.
After the experience of walking through Pushkar’s streets it was time to ride the camels into the Thar Desert. The camels were over 8 feet tall and everyone in our group was a little nervous about riding so high. When I got onto my camel, Sotu, I started to talk to the ‘camel driver’ who walks along the ground with us. It took a lot of balance to stay on the camel and I needed to stay alert the entire time.
When we reached the camp site, we were served tea and snacks. When the sun set, I noticed the bright stars and the nature all around us. Soon dancers and musicians came to entertain the group around a bonfire. The rest of the night we talked and bonded over games and laughter. This experience was certainly something that I have never experienced before in my life. I would do it again in a heartbeat.
