A friend recommended that I experience the Rann Utsav festival in Gujarat’s White Desert. A few months later, there I was – in the middle of the desert watching a sunrise that I will never forget.

I traveled from the hustle and bustle of Delhi to a small city in Gujarat called Bhuj. The difference was drastic: few people, few buildings, and few familiarities. Even the airport looked to be deserted. I felt isolated, and yet – I hadn’t even reached the desert.

As I waited for the bus to pick me up from the airport, I snapped a photo of the sun as it emerged into the sky. A stray dog looked at me with curiosity. I looked around at the other people – I was the only foreigner. The other travelers were Indian or non-resident Indians. This added to the feeling of being isolated – but this was what I wanted: to be immersed.

The bus brought us 80km to a Tent City in the middle of the desert. To get there, we passed an Indian Air Force base and traveled along a dangerous narrow road at frightening speeds. When I arrived, was given a tilaka and shown how to get to my tent. Here, I would stay for three days and two nights.

The infrastructure was surprisingly decent. My tent had two beds, a large fan, and its own bathroom with a western toilet. The shower was often cold, but tolerable. Although a network of golf carts provided transportation at guests’ convenience, I opted to explore by foot.

I was instructed to wake up early to see the sun rise across the desert. While still dark the next morning, we made our way to an observation post which was a 10 minute bus ride away. The option of taking a camel cart was available, but perhaps too time consuming.

This particular area is known as the White Desert due to the salted ground. The sunrise across the vast sea of white was an incredible sight I will never forget. These pictures simply don’t do it justice.

After watching the sunrise, I returned to Tent City to explore the various attractions. There were displays located throughout the area. Small shops sold jewelry, bags and clothing. Near the shopping area, there was also a “library,” but it only featured pictures of books.

I tried paramotoring despite my fear of heights. I also went to the massage parlor, and learned from the masseuse that many of the workers at Tent City were seasonal laborers who came from the far eastern side of India near places like Myanmar, Bhutan and Nepal.

At night, there were live musical and dancing performances. The musicians were excellent and the dance performance was interesting! It featured a man wearing a white dress who would spin in a circle while forming a large cloth into the shape of a dove. Then, a dwarf in a different costume would come and replace the cloth and remove the dove. I’ve never seen anything like it before.

The following day, I traveled 1 hour via bus to the highest point in Kutch: a small village near the India-Pakistan border called Kalo Dungar or “Black Hill.” From there, I watched an amazing sunset. I opted for the camel ride out of the village.

After my last day at Tent City, the bus stopped at various tourist destinations en route to the airport. First was an incredible Hindu temple. The white of its columns and steps created a deep sense of purity. Moreover, the gates, walls and structures surrounding the temple were also impressive!

I ventured outside of the temple gates and walked about a mile to the city’s museum. Someone informed me that I should not be taking photos unless I pay a fee, so I deleted any museum photos that I took.

The final stop before the airport was a large historical preservation center. It featured a massive garden and a building that housed a walk-through presentation about the history of Indian independence. As I stood in line to purchase an entry ticket, I realized that I did not have enough rupees. Even worse, there were no nearby places where I could exchange currency. I pleaded with the ticket vendor, but he would let me through.

Witnessing my predicament, a young woman approached me and asked in excellent English: “would you like me to pay for your ticket?” Her name was Anshula; she was a Punjabi student traveling in Kutch to study buildings for her architecture degree. I am thankful for her random act of kindness and happy to be able to keep in touch with her today.

As I boarded the plane for Mumbai, I felt relieved to go back to a large city. I would soon be surrounded by bustling crowds, traffic and in the presence of friends. While in Kutch, I felt isolated from the world I had previously known. Although lonely at times, I valued the time I spent in the desert and on the hills where it seemed that life was much simpler. But even in places like this, the things you will see and the people you will meet are surprising.

Click here to read about my next adventure to Batangas, Philippines.