This country is nuts. Even since I've sobered up, my senses haven't been so constantly assaulted since Burning Man (urine instead of essential oils and monkeys flying between the roofs instead of art cars, but you get the point). Actually, on the subject of Burning Men, I went to the burning Ghats last night to watch a face melt for the first time since my last acid trip. Then I climbed on a small boat and headed down the Ganges, where we slowly approached this giant Hindu prayer ceremony. Guys in robes were doing strange hypnotic fire dances facing the Ganges from small platforms about 15 feet from the surface of the water, while a whole crowd of people banged pots and bells and howled the oddly familiar Indian yogic chants. I don't know much about the Hindu reasons for it, but just the thought that they've been doing that every day for the past several thousand years blew my mind. They also say the fire they use for the cremations has been burning for 3000 years. It'd be interesting to visit with a fire extinguisher just to see how they react...

I'm getting a huge kick out of the insanity here, so I figured I'd take advantage of this good feeling before it turns tragic. So tonight I'm taking the train to Dehli tonight. Despite all the aweful things I've heard about that city (no there is no Pastrami on Rye, and if there was I wouldn't dare anybody to eat it), it's a trip I can't put off much longer. I need a camera for this country (just to prove to myself later on that I'm actually seeing some of these things), and I think that'll be the best place to either fix my broken one or get a new one. And it's on the way to Rishikesh and Dharmasala, the Indian Himalayas where the weather's supposed to be perfect.

OK, I'll be honest. I'm going to Delhi to do some more motorcycle shopping. There's a hotel there devoted to motorcycling around India on a Royal Enfield Bullet (www.bulletwallas.com), and if I figure I'll get a good picture on the feasability of riding around India after picking their brains for a few days.

Will let you know how things go.