Narti Part 3: Touristy Bits

A view from the top of a truck on which Vinod and I were riding

Just a short little post--I tried to have my rice read (to see the future) but the lady was out. Fortunately (I use this term very warily), her brother-in-law happened to be a snake charmer, so we got to see him do his thing. I must say, the past few days I have probably put myself in the greatest danger I’ve ever been in, just by riding on top of vehicles and playing with snakes (and going to the bathroom where snakes happen to live). This guy brought out a basket and sat it down literally four feet away from us. The locals were gathered around behind us--even they weren’t stupid enough to sit as close as we were. He unties the basket and there are two freshly caught cobras in it--straight from the jungle, he said. I was terrified, but I watched the whole time. They stayed in the basket, but seriously, if they had felt threatened by any of us, there was no way we would have been safe. I told Vinod and Sarah that I couldn’t guarantee I wouldn’t push one of them in front of me if we had to run away. I was dizzy and had a headache afterward because I was hyperventilating I think… it was exciting, but the type of excitement that is almost indeterminable from terror. We gave the dude 200 rupees for being clinically insane and collecting these snakes--he deserved that much, it was scary. Eugh.

The two cobras who were feet away from me.

The last night we were there, the girls hennaed my hand. I think that’s pretty touristy as well, although not so much here. I love henna. The most common design here is simple but beautiful, and they especially liked it on me since I’m so white. Lol.
A last thing, not really touristy, but just awesome. One night I got to see quite a show just by looking up. We were far away from absolutely everywhere, of course, and the night sky was amazing. There were so many stars out, and I could even see the Milky Way, which I haven’t seen in a long while. The clearing where the girls’ hostel is located is surrounded by trees, and at night, those trees are filled with fireflies. The stillness of the bright stars contrasts beautifully with the blinking and motion of the fireflies, but to top that off, there was a storm to the southwest, completely hidden by the trees except for echoes of the flashes of lightning. It was a natural light show that I can hardly describe. It was awe-inspiring. I know I’ll never see anything like it again.