A close shave...

It was in Jodhpur where I finally worked up the courage to go to one of those street-side barbers. A number of them were lined up in a row, and Adil joked afterwards that he suggested the one he did because that barber had the worst haircut. You don't want a barber with a good haircut--it means there's a likely a better one nearby.

Few things focus your attention like having a complete stranger hold a straight razor to your throat, no matter how experienced or trust-worthy you're assured he is. Its the closest I've come to understanding what the Buddhists mean when they say to be mindful of the present. Not that I was thinking about this at the time, of course.

That said, he really did do a good job. It was amongst the closest shaves I've had, and with very few nicks or razor burn. He used three different kind of shaving gels, a brand-new straight razor, two types of aftershave and cologne.

All told, the shave was 10 rupees, a hair cut would have been another 10. It was almost a shave and haircut, two bits.