Reflection on the Tourist Experience - Essay Example

Although the main intention of the author was to see the full moon rise, he was attracted so much by the scenic beauty of the Navajo that he could not believe what he was experiencing was real. The author reveals his excitement by stating that “all Navajo dwellings face east”. He is so swayed by the nearby surroundings that he also camped facing the East. When he saw a Navajo girl herding a flock of sheep, he could not resist expressing his feelings towards the dress and ornaments that she wore. He also finds a woolly dog to be different than others under the influence of the moonlit night. Indicating his state as almost hypothesized by the opiate environment, the author himself is unsure whether the girl or the dog that he saw was an illusion or he was experiencing something different. It was so strong that he compares himself with the wizard of Stonehenge waiting eagerly to see the full moon rise, tempted by the charm and the scenic beauty of the location, the author is filled with thrill and excitement. Illustratively, he could not restrict himself questioning: “Has the Navajo medicine men contrived this for our benefit?” (Young, 455-477).