A Little Gold Dust

I was nineteen years old and this was the last city of twelve I had solo backpacked through in India. India has some sort of magic to it. Things just seemed to have such order amongst all the chaos, and to this day I can still recall moments on this trip. I remember kindness and hospitality from the strangers I encountered. I had made the decision to do the trip completely sober until the last few days. I would get up in the early hours of the morning and meditate while sipping my chai. Everything was so different here. It was such a small piece, in a giant puzzle. I remember meeting at the guesthouse some Israelis, a lovely Australian couple, a Brit, and some wonderful locals from Anjuna, in the state of Goa. I shared a bed with one of the Israelis. She had been a general in the army and was also a lawyer. I looked up to her and admired her unapologetic nature, traveling as well by herself throughout India. She had introduced me to the two local kindred spirits who worked near the guesthouse. They had informed us of a party, a few clicks down at the end of the beach one night, telling us about the trance music, the diversity of travelers and locals who would be there - so we all agreed to go together. It was suggested to take acid before we walked over so it would hit as we arrived. I've never done it before but I figured, why not? When will I ever be in India again with these individuals? I've traveled throughout India by myself - reached indescribable meditative states in Arambol, cooked with families, horseback riding in Udaipur, was proposed to, hiked mountains, watched sunsets, attended Diwali in Amritsar, saw the Golden Temple, and competed in a bridal competition in Pushkar during the camel festival. I’ve seen the Taj Mahal in Agra, navigated Delhi with the kindness of strangers, danced and was tattooed in Mumbai, stayed with a local family in Hampi, and slept in bunk beds on a train to Jodhpur. I've seen the pink city, night buses, enjoyed rooftop dinners, and trusted my intuition throughout all these places. It felt right, so I took it and ended up puking. I was told this was normal for first timers and so we set off. The night was filled with music on multi-level wooden floors, without glass or walls. The music took a hold of my body, and I felt almost possessed by the rhythm. There were fire dancers, and acrobatics. We lit lanterns in the sky, watched the stars, and waded in the ocean as the sun came up, walking back to our side of the beach as people got up to practice yoga and cows roamed free. We ended the twelve hour trip by laying out a large handmade beach blanket and sat mostly in silence, switching to some light conversation. The heat of the sun touched my skin, the sound of the waves and the birds filled my ears. I felt this was the end that I needed, my soul was forever changed, and this was the final gold dust sprinkled on top. And now on to another chapter. Shanti shanti.