Welcome back to India

Rolling into Amritsar is like entering a foreign country from Dharamsala. From the misty hills, Tibetan faces, and chilled-out vibe it's quite a shock to the system to be back to the hot flatlands, darker faces, and pushing crowds that come to mind when you think of the subcontinent. Actually, although Amritsar has a population of around 1 million it really isn't that crowded once you get away from the Golden Temple complex. My Israeli travelling partner and I had a devil of a time navigating to the dorm rooms through the throngs of pilgrims, guided on our way by blue-turbanned Sikh attendants.

I stayed the night at the temple itself, more for the experience than any sort of rest. Sikhism is incredibly inclusive, allowing anyone into their temple to practice as they will, as long as your shoes are removed and your head is covered (for men and women). Part of this is a cafeteria serving daal, rice, and chapati at all hours of the day and an extensive series of dorm rooms, all free, with donations greatly appreciated, of course. There seems to be a special little dorm for the Westerners, tucked just off the chaotic entrance. The guard at the door walks through periodically, clapping his hands, shaking yours, and constantly smiling.

Last night I went into the heart of the complex and walked around in the dark heat. The Golden Temple sits at the end of a causeway in the middle of large pool. It's dazzling at night as all the lights reflect off its surface and into the water. The surrounding buildings are all white marble with ornately inlaid floors and towering spires. Thousands of people were laid out on the stone surface, somehow managing to sleep on the hard ground with the constant humanity all around. I met a South African guy and we made circuits around the pool, talking about life, love, and travel before sitting down so he could read my palm. Apparently I'm emotional, sensitive, and strong-willed, and I have good self-confidence but am not very artistic. I take it all with a grain of salt.