Things you can't capture on camera

As my time in India has drawn to a close, I figure I would explain why my pictures might not be that great. It's simply because there are many things about India that I can't or have trouble capturing on film. These things include:

a) the amount of trash- It's simply outrageous, astounding, and shocking how much trash there is everywhere! At first I thought it was the big cities, but then I realized, it's everywhere. And frankly, it can be too much at times. Why is it there? Do people not realize that garbage everywhere can cause diseases? Did this continent not ever read about the European plague?

b) the smells- This is partly related to a) above, but the smells are sometimes just too much. There are good smells like samosas cooking, the smell of spices, and the ever present smell of chai. And then there are the bad smells.......urine, feces, and trash can overpower you at times and make you want to throw up.

c) the random animals- This may not be unique to just India, but there's something about riding in a cab from the airport and having to dodge a few cows that you just can't catch on camera. Sure, you can take pictures of cows on the street, but it's just not the same as going through the experience. And yes, there are more random animals besides the sacred cow; dogs, pigs, a few cats, goats, and even the occasional camel or elephant walking down the street.

d) the sounds- Yes, there are constant loud sounds. The sounds of buses, cars, motorcycles.....all using their horns at once! The sound of the call to prayer when you're near an area that has a Muslim influence. The sounds of construction. The constant sounds of people begging you for money. It's almost too much even when you have an MP3 player plugged in to try and block it.

e) the stares- Sure, you get stares when you travel with white skin. It comes with the territory, but there's something about the way Indians stare at you. It's almost as if they are staring through you or into your soul. Sometimes flashing a smile gets them to stop, but oftentimes they will stare at you until you are out of their sight. It's even worse for white women. I felt sorry for Kathryn sometimes as the stares in her direction creeped me out!

f) the famous head waggle- Does it mean yes? Does it mean no? Does it mean "I understand?" I think I've seen it used in every one of those situations and I still don't know how it's used?!

g) the colors and decorations- India is not all bad things and the colors of some of the towns, the people, the decorations, and the temples are absolutely amazing! From the temples in the south, to the Sarees in Rajasthan, the colors are ever present and it's tough to capture them all.

I'm sure that there's a few that I'm missing, but these are some of the things that can only be experienced by being there and seeing it/living it for yourself. If you're lucky, you might get a good photo here and there, but only if you're lucky.

Farewell to India......it may be a while before I come back.

Love, peace, and soul.