It was the fifth day of the month of May when our summer vacations finally started. Everyone had plans to travel to their favourite place with friends and families however, my family had decided to go to Rajasthan. I thought it was a really bad decision since we were already experiencing so much heat and humidity, and so going to the hottest state in India did not feel like a good idea. I was not looking forward to this trip. Nevertheless, I convinced myself that it would be better than staying at home all summer. I quickly put all my personal belongings in my bag. It was going to be a long journey as we would be travelling by plane to Jaipur and then go on to explore the full state without ever leaving the car. I soon developed an unbiased feeling for this trip as I realised it would be after seven years that I would revisit this state. Even though I had only a few memories of that place, they were all filled with happiness and joy. The trip to the airport was very annoying as the whole way was crowded with traffic. I could see many families like mine were also leaving for summer vacation to other places.
An hour and a half later we reached the airport. And there we saw a very long queue to send our luggage. Eventually, after all the struggles we managed to make it past the security check-in where we waited for our flight to arrive. We boarded our flight and I went straight for the window seat. I always get excited for the takeoffs and landings and for the rest I usually take a nap until we reach. We landed almost two hours later and after getting all our stuff back from the conveyor belt we headed to the hotel.
The sight on the way to the hotel was marvellous. It was around five PM- the time for the sun to set. The sands, which were heated by the summer, were glowing faintly with the rays of the orange sun. The temperature was about perfect, it was neither hot nor cold, just somewhere in between. This had exceeded my expectations as I was already pushed back from the heat during noon. After my family and I took a rest, we went to a local fair which happened monthly. It was in the middle of a desert meaning we would have to experience the bumpy ride of a jeep over sand dunes which I enjoy a lot.
We reached the fair in the evening. It was a huge setup with many performers dancing and singing. Kids stormed the games and older ladies crowded the shops. While my dad and I were taking a stroll at the fair to find anything of our interest. We came across innumerable food stalls selling local delicacies. We tried a few and all of the foods had one thing in common, their spiciness. I felt addicted to the flavours.
It was finally night and the moon was shining brightly upon us, the final dance of the night began. It was a desert-styled dance with many external factors coordinating with the main dancer. The fireworks would explode in sync with the dancer and the music sounded nothing less than a magical melody. No speakers were used and the sound came straight from the instrument which had a special effect on my ears. The day had come when we had to depart back to Mumbai. These few days in Rajasthan made me think differently about it and made me appreciate the beauty of the desert. Even though it lacked greenery, it was compensated with the beauty of their festivity, delicacies, and hospitality. It had a special magical effect on me- one quite difficult to put into words. However, I can say that it definitely changed my view about Rajasthan. It was a much appreciated break from the busy city life.
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