Earlier this week (almost) went to Tirupati. Had long wanted to go to this place, a major pilgrimage site. More people go to this place than Mecca or Jerusalem. It averages 40,000 - 100,000 pilgrims daily plus has a staff of 12,000.

It started off promising... got on the bus going there & everyone was excited about the foreigner going on pilgrimage with them... but the driver did checked 5xs that I really wanted to go there. And when we arrived at the town at the bottom of the mountain where the temple sits on top, it was like a theme park. Tons of flashy bright lights, vendors everywhere selling temple images & even a water park for the kiddies.

The next morning took one of the special buses up the mountain to the temple & it immediately starts off bad. People on the bus shaking their head & telling me "no"... I right it off that they think I'm on the wrong bus. Then when the bus goes thru a security check the officer targets me... I'm the only one she checks & asks me a ton of questions & then repeats my answers to the rest of the bus in a mocking way.

Furious, decide to still go on. And it was worth it for the ride up the mountain. Typical crazy Indian driver taking a very winding road at top speeds with the bus tipping on two wheels around some corners. And there were great signs every few minutes.... "No Smoking" - "No Urinating" - "No Spitting" - "Chant Now!".

Get to the top & it's even more of a theme park atmosphere. Finally find the right place to get a "Super Special Entrance" ticket - the normal wait is 6hrs this cuts it down to 1hr. Then get on another special bus to the temple entrance & the worst experience I've had while traveling happens - a woman looks at me & screams at the top of her lungs & runs away from me! And no one on the bus does anything but stare - at me!

Now I'm just pissed off. I go ahead & find the line, but think I'm direct into the "Special" not "Super Special Entrance". Wait for 45 minutes while 1,000 people stare & point & finally go thru another security check. They scan my purse & find my camera & tell me I have to give it to a coat check office but that was kinda the final straw, walk away & I find the crazy bus back down the mountain.