Jaisalmer, India

Most travelers going through Rajasthan in the north-western part of India make a stop in Jaisalmer, or “The Golden City”.  From here, there are many camel treks out into the desert on the edge of the city where you ride atop camel and spend the night under the stars.  Sounds cool, right?

Kind of.

The trip completely depends on who you book through and how much they’re trying to scam you.  If you’re like me and don’t plan ahead, time your stop over in Jaisalmer on the short side, have a guest house/tour operator all too eager to take your money, then have your travel partner succumb to food poisoning and become violently ill in the desert in the middle of the night while stray dogs are circling you, the experience may not be quite the romantic vision you had in mind.

But that’s a story for another time…for now, here’s a peaceful moment in the middle of nowhere.