complaining

I'm getting so TIRED of being STARED at!  I remember being in South America and it was the same feeling - you were never anonymous.  You'd think that the experience that I've had living in small communities would prepare me for this kind of scrutiny, but alas, it has not. It's one thing to be stared at in a small place, quite another when people actually stop what they're doing and follow you IN A CITY so that they can look at you a little longer.    And I feel like a grub.  All these women are wearing their beautiful saris and they look gorgeous - rich, poor and middle class.  Even when whey don't wear saries they wear these salwaar kameez suits, which have the long tunic and pants with a scarfy bit around the neck and everybody looks lovely and I DON'T because I'm walking around in my long sleeved shirt to avoid the sun, my hat which is starting to look a bit worse for wear, and I look terrible in hats AND my t-shirt and skirt which really are designed so that they cover me up as much as possible.  And I don't want to buy anything because I don't want more to lug around, but at the same time sometimes it would be nice to feel like there's a good reason for people to stare!   UGH.   So, enough complaining.   We are currently in Ahmedabad which is on the way to the western part of Gujarat, which is the way to Diu, which is the beach.  It will be good to be at a place where perhaps there are fewer people (this may be wishful thinking) and be near the water.  Interesting story - on the day before we were leaving for India, I realized that I had left my bathing suit in Ottawa (we were in Toronto).  This wasn't, of course, just any Speedo, this was my LONG-SLEEVED, SPF 50, long legged zip up bathing suit that was going to protect me from the sun's intense and dangerous rays.  Very little sunscreen to be had here in India, too.  I mean, what would they need it for?  THEY TAN!   Anyway, very bad discovery so late in the game that I didn't have my bathing suit.  I got very stressed, and it turns out that this was for good reason, since I have seen nary a bathing suit store here in India.  Fortunately, I was able to find (thanks to Aunt Dianne) a place where they sell - get this - board shorts and rash shirts which are also well covering and SPF 50 (this is what surfers wear) but I swear I have bought the UGLIEST bathing outfit for a woman that may be available on the face of the earth.  It was all that was available and I'm VERY glad to have SOMETHING and really, how important is it to look good in a bathing suit? Don't answer that.  The previous suit that I had was fairly exceptional when it came to looks anyhow, but I must warn you that the likelihood of getting any pictures on this blog of me in my bathing outfit are slim to none.    Anyway, thanks for listening to my complaints.  I just needed to vent. I feel better now, and hopefully the next intallment will be much more relaxed because I will just have come off the beach after reading 3 books.   ACDB

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