The Dog Days of Summer, Rajasthan Style

Most days our excellent adventure gets high review from both partipants. [Yes, I'm aware of the reference to the stoner movie by the same name.] Some days, however, I

agree with Christ O'Byrne, a French journalist living in a small nowhere destination in Morocco:  “There are days when I would kill for a bookstore or museum.” Very aptly put.  Lately, we’ve been spending most of our time inside, because it’s just not safe out there during the day given the extreme temperatures.  When we do venture out, we find very sparsely populated roads and/or shops.  These days, this city of 6 million looks more like an Islamic state during Ramadan than the tourist haven it’s so famous for.  I’m busy writing an end-of-the-year report (which I thought I would be getting away from after my last job, sad face), and writing an article for a journal, so sitting at my computer for hours on end, interspersed with some interpretive dancing with my partner to some loud music, is ok.  However, there ARE days when I would kill for a museum or a decent bookstore with a place to sit and chill out, literally and figuratively.

That feeling, which is sometimes shared by my partner in crime, has led to discussions of where we want to be a year from now, and what our new Indian destination of Trivandrum will have to offer us when I’m not working, which I promise I am, even though my blogs make it sound like I’m on a very long vacation sometimes.  We’re hopeful that Kerala will live up to its reputation as a cultural hub, with lots of classical dance and music performances, as well as one of the greenest places on Earth, and thus packed with great nature destinations.  

We’re also eyeing out Mexico for a year from now, and looking very carefully at some of the finalists’ climate (Puebla is the clear front runner at this early date) and ease of people visiting (again Puebla), and museums (Puebla, big time, because we aren’t considering moving to the capital, which would win in the fantastic museum category).  The only thing that remains for us to sign up for Puebla is….a job or two.  We’re working on that, so keep your fingers crossed and google the wonderful city of Puebla, the culinary capital of Mexico high in the mountains with a very temperate climate and a very cultured population.  Vámanos!

BTW, in case you ever get to a desert and need to cool off, check out this photo below of recent purchase of a desert cooler, named Ken Starr to anyone who remembers the special prosecutor for the Clinton wrongdoings. Anyway, you put water in it, turn it on, and it sprays somewhat cooled air right at you.  The water evaporates so quickly into the dry desert air you don't get wet, but it does bring some relief.  S likes to read inside until about 6 p.m. then take it outside near our picnic table, plug it in, and resume his knowledge quest. It gets him out of the room for a while. Sometimes I join him, but I've also been known to return to my roots by sitting squarely in front of the fan, opening my mouth and singing "AHHHH", and let the wind blow back my sweaty hair. [see picture for graphic if you had a deprived childhood.] Fun and cooling all in one. 

It's what most people use here most of the time instead of AC, for the obvious financial restriction.  They are far tougher than I, obvi, but I hope some of them are getting in some good vocalizing as well.

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Ken Starr, our Desert Cooler

Everyone sing: "AAAAAAHHHH"