DAY 1 Ahmedabad, Gujarat

My plane was late leaving Bangalore, but no biggie, I still had plenty of time to waste here. This is really just a stop over place- I flew in at around 3- I'll take the train out at 11:15. I'm at the train station cyber express cafe as I type.

As soon as I landed at the airport I was accosted by about a million auto drivers. I told them all to back off- they are like mosquitoes- always buzzing around your head- I asked a guy who looked local if there was a prepaid stand. He said no, but they all used their meters, so it was hard to get ripped off. Obviously he's never been a white woman traveling alone in India. (Obviously)

I got an auto to the train station- probably paid near the correct amount- give or take 30-40 rupees. I left my backpack at the train station in the "cloak room" aka "left luggage." It cost 20 rupees an hour. In Liverpool I think I paid 2 pounds an hour- translation 40 cents and hour verses 4 dollars an hour.

My same little auto driver tried to take me to sight see- but my Lonely Planet made it look like I could walk to where I wanted to go from the train station. So, after a long conversation of me repeating that I didn't want to go with him and I was walking- off I went- in the wrong direction of course. After another long conversation with four police men they pointed me in the right direction.

I ended up in a market area- so I did what any red blooded American woman would do in my situation- I shopped. Honestly I don't know what gets into me sometimes. Now I have this crap that I'm going to have to lug around the rest of the trip, or send home. I bought a beautiful red dupatta (light shawl) with gold hand work (gold embroidery and sequins) on it for 650 (about $13.00) That fulfils my "Can't leave India without a obscenely sequined piece of material that I'll most likely never use" requirement. But I know it won't stop there. I also bought a tiny traditional Gujarati outfit for Blondi's baby HA! It's super cute! (whopping $3 for that gem) and some cotton suit (shalwar kamis) material for another $3- Two of the venders where Muslim men with excellent English.

One of them gave me his business card all in Gujarati- a language I've never seen before- I didn't even know which way was up on that card- Usually I can at least tell which way is right side up with a language I don't know- but not with Gujarati I'm totally lost.

While I was buying the dupatta I took some pictures of some of the customers in the store- on my way out I was invited to one lady's youngest son's wedding. I took one picture of her- was in the same room with her for 3 minutes and I was invited to her son's wedding.

I'm a novelty- not so many tourists in Ahmedabad. I've seen 4 other white people. I also saw a goat with three legs- so whatever.

Lonely Planet and my new Muslim friends said I should see Jama Masjid- a mosque built in 1432. Unknowingly I walked past it twice thinking it was a veggie market- it wasn't my fault- the minarets fell down1957- how was I supposed to recognize a mosque without minarets. It looked rather shabby from the outside but was very peaceful and beautiful on the inside.

Wide open spaces- freaking hot marble floors (open air court yard) amazing pillars and carved stone window covers.

Then I went to a fancy hotel to get 1. some air conditioning 2. a cold drink and 3. a place to not be stared at like a three headed cow.

The waiter suggested I wear earrings.

I had the "Jain Special." Jains must like tempura- cause that's what it was- deep fried baby corn (baby corn is big here) green pepper rings (Jains don't eat onions) and some kind of freaky little cheesy dough ball which sounds better than it tasted- if you can believe that.

I also got cream float which was yuck and a "mocktail" aka virgin pinacolata- yum. Got me a sammich to go and got back to the train station.

Leaving the area of the train station costs 75 rupees- when we got back here the little guy who took my life in his hands I can't even count the times on the way back to the station- tried to charge me 389.

I said no.

He called over another guy who said, "100."

I said "fine."

So here I am- next leg Udaipur on the overnight train.