So I said I would get back to you all in Pushkar. But that didn't happen.

Basically we have been a little non-stop for quite some time now. I think I had better start where we left off.

We descended upon Pushkar like locusts to a field. Okay that didn't happen but I just felt like being slightly biblical. We came to Pushkar for Yom Kippur.

Pushkar is a small town "on the edge of the desert". A holy city, there is no meat, eggs or alcohol. Consequently there is a huge drug peddling scheme going on there. We all know that where there are drugs there are Israelis, and where there are Israelis there is Chabad.

Pushkar is also known for it's spiritual lake. Anyways, I hate to listen but from what I can gather the Brahmin caste have gathered in Pushkar at the lake. They provide spiritual assitance to people with money, woops, I mean Westerners, woops, I mean tourists. This is what happened. After a very long night (That night is coming up in a moment... chills I tell you), we were taken to the lake by a Brahmin. We were told that we would make blessings etc. I sit down with my very own Brahmin priesty-boy. I was so in the mood to get spiritual - I mean Yom Kippur was that NIGHT! He goes through this whole ritual which is all yay. AND THEN he's like, "you give a donation."

And I'm like "um.. okay well someone gave me $1 AUD and I think it's appropriate that I give charity so I'll give you that."

So he says "Oh but you have six people in your family. You should give SIX dollars."

I'm really not in the mood at this point, I came to a bloody lake to get some bloody spiritual guidance and this priest only wants my money. AND THEN, this is so bad, HIS MOBILE PHONE GOES OFF. No seriously guys, I'm meant to be wishing good health for my family and his phone goes off? So I do what all chutzpadik girls do. I laughed. He got all serious on me and said "You don't laugh in this place. It is a holy place".

I retorted immediately "Well your phone shouldn't go off in the middle of my spiritual ceremony".

He didn't like me very much. It ended up a slight disaster but it was fine. (I ended up giving rs. 100). I got a red string around my hand (YES me and britney are twins!).

Remember I said I was tired from the evening before? THAT'S BECAUSE I HAD MY PALM READ. I HAD JUST BEEN THROUGH A MAJOR SPIRITUAL HEALING. I wasn't even looking to have it read but I had met this guy in Jaipur named Bhati. He is this poor guy come very wealthy and powerful. Anyways he also came up to Pushkar and that night he asked us to his room for a drink. (He had smuggled in beer, whiskey and Chinese bacon). We went for the drink and he was telling us about his old life. He had been a rickshaw driver, a masseur and most importantly a palm reader. He said he had the gift and he made a lot of money. We asked him why he stopped. He told us that palm reading is very risky. He has a gift and that one day a woman from the village came to him. He read in her palm that her husband would die within the next six months. She had been married 2 months earlier. He felt so bad and decided to lie to her. After lying he explained his karma was bad. He palm-read for another month and then quit the job. He told us that no money was worth it (and he also said that he never charged for villagers, but because he read palms so well, villagers whose futures came true would leave suitcases of money at his door).

I was simply PLUTZING to have my palm read. So he did it!! He had to cover the meat and wash himself. Everything he said rang completely true. Sarah and I had CHILLS!! He read me like a book. And then he said I had energy blockages in my chest and knees. So he did this massage thing to clear it. I'm telling you that I KNOW I sound like a dirty hippy. I know I should have dred(spelling?) locks and not wear deodorant. BUT IT WAS AMAZINGLY ACCURATE.

It's one of those things: only in India.

I have to run now. Since then we have been on a camel safari and slept in the desert. I'll get to that in another post. But just keep in mind - I am a changed woman.

And fasting was the WORST experience I have had for yom kippur - I kinda went delirious and yeah. But I got through it...