Quietude, silence, and solitude greeted us at last. After maneuvering the Land Cruiser in between the sparse vegetation of a dry, sandy region in India, Coen turned off the engine. It had been an intense day of sightseeing in historically and culturally rich Rajasthan, but also a day of hassle, nagging, begging, and incessant attention from people all day long. Finally, we had meandered deep into the countryside, leaving the towns and villages behind us, driving past the last huts, and were now ready for a quiet camp in the desert.
Alas, it was not to be. Within minutes people had gathered around the vehicle. Where had they come from? The sky? The ground? From behind the bushes? The men and women were quiet and curious, squatting around us until…