Monday 14th February
Got on the bus. 1 or 2 other people seemed to have the same seat number as me on their ticket. But I knew I was right so there was no way I was budging, even if they were monks. It rained and there was thunder and lighting most of the night, but got some sleep.
Tuesday 15th February
The bus arrived at 7am, only 1km away from the stated destination, Connaught Square, New Delhi. My bag was quite wet from being in the boot, the driver didn't care when I showed him. It stopped raining and I knew where I was and walked to Pharganj and into the cheap scruffy hotel I stayed in last time. I could have left my bag at the train station for the day for less money but wanted a bit of convenience and to come and go, depending on the weather.
After breakfast, I still did my planned walk the long way round to Old Delhi, mostly in the rain. Still, I was looking for some chaos as I only have three weeks left in India, and I certainly got that. Traffic and people everywhere, the rain just making it all more crazy. Stopped for lunch at the roadside, rice and spicy beans with the office workers. And samosas. Back through the bazaar which was mostly plumbing and hardware type stuff. Bought a waterproof cover for my big bag.
Family man on the train asked me to swap seats with his wife. I didnt really mind but couldnt see the point of his request since we were both on Upper Berths. I asked him "why" and he didnt really answer. So I grumpily made of show of having to move all my stuff! It rained alot in the night.
Wednesday 16th Febraury.
Train arrived about 1.5 hours late but no rain. Booked train ticket to Gaya for Friday.
As expected, walking out of Varanasi station was pretty chaotic, dirty and smoggy and lots of touts offering to take me here and there, had some good-humoured banter with them. Pre-paid taxi was a rip-off then I found the pre-paid rickshaw which was more reasonable. On the way there was a muslim procession, a holy day for them. The rickshaw can't fit down all the roads so they drop you off and you have to walk about 20 minutes the rest of the way, the locals were very helpful in pointing me the right way down the narrow lanes. Lots of noise and chaos which is fun.
Checked in to Asanti hotel, good value. Got my laundry done and had a shower for the first time in too long. The hotel rooftop overlooks the Ganges river, there was some mist and you can see it is low at the moment and dry in places that surely flood in the monsoon. I walked down there after lunch. The river is flanked on this side by ghats and the most important one is Manikarnika ghat, mainly because this is the major burning ghat, where they cremate people. As I got there they were carrying a body on a bamboo stretcher, covered in an orange sheet, down to the river, where they dunked it. There were already a few fires going and after about an hour they used them to light a hastily made 'bonfire' onto which they placed the body, removing the orange sheet so he had just a white sheet over him. And slowly but surely, from toe to head, he was creamated.
Of course it felt a bit voyueristic but we kept a respectful distance and the only hassle we got was from touts. Strangely, most people seemed to be onlookers rather than mourners and there were only 3 or 4 guys hanging around the body as it burned, no crying or wailing and no women at all because they are busy grieving elsewhere. They don't cremate pregnant women, or kids under 13. It was a bit surreal but there was a chai wallah coming round with his big flask of tea which he served in small clay cups. He said I could keep the cup as long as I go back tomorrow. Probably best that he didn't wash it in the Ganges.
I walked along the other ghats for a while and into the narrow streets. Through the cheap and the posh bazaars, just window shopping and eating snacks. I just really enjoyed walking around taking in the atmosphere of everyday life in India, it reminds me of when I first got here. In the evening there was music and a ceremony at some of the ghats. The guys were singing the holy Ganges' praises, so mostly facing the river rather than the audience. Hung out at the hostel with Kiwi Joe who also used to live in Coogee.
Thursday 17th February
Up at 5:30am for a group rowing boat trip on the Ganges, free of charge courtesy of the hostel, very generous of them and means we didnt have to barter with the boatmen. It was dark and a bit misty when we started and as we moved downstream we saw the pilgrims bathing and chatting and washing clothes. We are sure we saw a dead body in the water, just the head in a white cloth, bobbing up and down.
Back at the hostel, had beans on toast with fried eggs, yum. Then Joe and I went for a walk along the ghats and into town dealng with the touts with good humour. Then we walked about 5kms to the rickety pontoon bridge, across the Ganges. Joe went into the fort and museum while I sat in the shade with locals coming over to stand and stare at me (a bit annoying) or chat in broken English (fine). A long but enjoyable walk back along the ghats. Stopped and got my first cut-throat razor blade shave, a little nervous but he knew what he was doing, only one slight nick but I think he enjoyed watching me wince as he applied the after shave. Also a bit of head massage. Finished at the burning ghat for more voyeurism. Took myself into town for samosas and only got a bit lost on the way back.
The hostel is great, a rooftop restaurant with a 180 degree view of the Ganges, and a good place to socialise with other travellers which I haven't done much lately.
Friday 18th February
Joe and I walked along the ghats to the bakery. Getting a bit tired of the touts sidling up to us and saying 'boat' or 'want some hash', its constant. There are guys who say hello and extend their hand for a handshake and once you give them your hand they try to give you a hand and shoulder massage which of course you will have to pay for. Beans with onion on toast with 2 fried eggs.
We checked out and walked through the narrow streets trying not to knock people over with our backpacks, had to breathe in when a body was being carried through on its way to the ghats. Got a tuk-tuk to the station, and said 'bye' to Joe. Left Varansi for 5 hour trip to Gaya. It went quite quickly, I am enjoying a novel about a girl who goes travelling in South-East Asia, to many of the places I have been.
Checked in, seems like a nice town, friendly people.
Saturday 19th February
Checked out, tuk-tuk to Bodhgaya. Staying at a guest house in the corner of a small village where the people have a well and live in small brick houses. This town is famous for its Buddhist temples and is also the place where Buddha achieved Enlightenment. After tsampa I went for a walk hoping to find a crowd of Indians somewhere watching the first game of the cricket world cup, they play Bangladesh. In the old town, away from the touristy areas it was just like the rest of India, too many people and not enough town, but no cricket. I did find a restaurant that put it on for me but I missed the start and there was no crowd. A bit disappointing.
So I went to Mahabodhi temple which was built in the 6th century and is still in good condition. Behind the temple is the tree under which Buddha became enlightened, although its actually from a cutting of the original tree, which was long ago taken to Sri Lanka. You can't sit exactly under the tree, but quite close. I sat there for a while watching the monks and the pilgrims. Went inside the temple where there is 2m high Buddha. Around the temple there were various prayer groups, and also monks, and a few western ladies, bowing down. They stand at one end of a special flatbed of wood, make a prayer action then kneel, then lie on their belly before pushing themselves back up and repeating the process. I sat near to a group of about 100 monks as they were lead in prayer. Then sat in the park and read.
Picked up Norwegian guy on the way back who was looking for this hotel. Watched some of the cricket with the owner's nephew, friendly family guest house. Went for dinner with the norwegian guy.
Got on the bus. 1 or 2 other people seemed to have the same seat number as me on their ticket. But I knew I was right so there was no way I was budging, even if they were monks. It rained and there was thunder and lighting most of the night, but got some sleep.
Tuesday 15th February
The bus arrived at 7am, only 1km away from the stated destination, Connaught Square, New Delhi. My bag was quite wet from being in the boot, the driver didn't care when I showed him. It stopped raining and I knew where I was and walked to Pharganj and into the cheap scruffy hotel I stayed in last time. I could have left my bag at the train station for the day for less money but wanted a bit of convenience and to come and go, depending on the weather.
After breakfast, I still did my planned walk the long way round to Old Delhi, mostly in the rain. Still, I was looking for some chaos as I only have three weeks left in India, and I certainly got that. Traffic and people everywhere, the rain just making it all more crazy. Stopped for lunch at the roadside, rice and spicy beans with the office workers. And samosas. Back through the bazaar which was mostly plumbing and hardware type stuff. Bought a waterproof cover for my big bag.
Family man on the train asked me to swap seats with his wife. I didnt really mind but couldnt see the point of his request since we were both on Upper Berths. I asked him "why" and he didnt really answer. So I grumpily made of show of having to move all my stuff! It rained alot in the night.
Wednesday 16th Febraury.
Train arrived about 1.5 hours late but no rain. Booked train ticket to Gaya for Friday.
As expected, walking out of Varanasi station was pretty chaotic, dirty and smoggy and lots of touts offering to take me here and there, had some good-humoured banter with them. Pre-paid taxi was a rip-off then I found the pre-paid rickshaw which was more reasonable. On the way there was a muslim procession, a holy day for them. The rickshaw can't fit down all the roads so they drop you off and you have to walk about 20 minutes the rest of the way, the locals were very helpful in pointing me the right way down the narrow lanes. Lots of noise and chaos which is fun.
Checked in to Asanti hotel, good value. Got my laundry done and had a shower for the first time in too long. The hotel rooftop overlooks the Ganges river, there was some mist and you can see it is low at the moment and dry in places that surely flood in the monsoon. I walked down there after lunch. The river is flanked on this side by ghats and the most important one is Manikarnika ghat, mainly because this is the major burning ghat, where they cremate people. As I got there they were carrying a body on a bamboo stretcher, covered in an orange sheet, down to the river, where they dunked it. There were already a few fires going and after about an hour they used them to light a hastily made 'bonfire' onto which they placed the body, removing the orange sheet so he had just a white sheet over him. And slowly but surely, from toe to head, he was creamated.
Of course it felt a bit voyueristic but we kept a respectful distance and the only hassle we got was from touts. Strangely, most people seemed to be onlookers rather than mourners and there were only 3 or 4 guys hanging around the body as it burned, no crying or wailing and no women at all because they are busy grieving elsewhere. They don't cremate pregnant women, or kids under 13. It was a bit surreal but there was a chai wallah coming round with his big flask of tea which he served in small clay cups. He said I could keep the cup as long as I go back tomorrow. Probably best that he didn't wash it in the Ganges.
I walked along the other ghats for a while and into the narrow streets. Through the cheap and the posh bazaars, just window shopping and eating snacks. I just really enjoyed walking around taking in the atmosphere of everyday life in India, it reminds me of when I first got here. In the evening there was music and a ceremony at some of the ghats. The guys were singing the holy Ganges' praises, so mostly facing the river rather than the audience. Hung out at the hostel with Kiwi Joe who also used to live in Coogee.
Thursday 17th February
Up at 5:30am for a group rowing boat trip on the Ganges, free of charge courtesy of the hostel, very generous of them and means we didnt have to barter with the boatmen. It was dark and a bit misty when we started and as we moved downstream we saw the pilgrims bathing and chatting and washing clothes. We are sure we saw a dead body in the water, just the head in a white cloth, bobbing up and down.
Back at the hostel, had beans on toast with fried eggs, yum. Then Joe and I went for a walk along the ghats and into town dealng with the touts with good humour. Then we walked about 5kms to the rickety pontoon bridge, across the Ganges. Joe went into the fort and museum while I sat in the shade with locals coming over to stand and stare at me (a bit annoying) or chat in broken English (fine). A long but enjoyable walk back along the ghats. Stopped and got my first cut-throat razor blade shave, a little nervous but he knew what he was doing, only one slight nick but I think he enjoyed watching me wince as he applied the after shave. Also a bit of head massage. Finished at the burning ghat for more voyeurism. Took myself into town for samosas and only got a bit lost on the way back.
The hostel is great, a rooftop restaurant with a 180 degree view of the Ganges, and a good place to socialise with other travellers which I haven't done much lately.
Friday 18th February
Joe and I walked along the ghats to the bakery. Getting a bit tired of the touts sidling up to us and saying 'boat' or 'want some hash', its constant. There are guys who say hello and extend their hand for a handshake and once you give them your hand they try to give you a hand and shoulder massage which of course you will have to pay for. Beans with onion on toast with 2 fried eggs.
We checked out and walked through the narrow streets trying not to knock people over with our backpacks, had to breathe in when a body was being carried through on its way to the ghats. Got a tuk-tuk to the station, and said 'bye' to Joe. Left Varansi for 5 hour trip to Gaya. It went quite quickly, I am enjoying a novel about a girl who goes travelling in South-East Asia, to many of the places I have been.
Checked in, seems like a nice town, friendly people.
Saturday 19th February
Checked out, tuk-tuk to Bodhgaya. Staying at a guest house in the corner of a small village where the people have a well and live in small brick houses. This town is famous for its Buddhist temples and is also the place where Buddha achieved Enlightenment. After tsampa I went for a walk hoping to find a crowd of Indians somewhere watching the first game of the cricket world cup, they play Bangladesh. In the old town, away from the touristy areas it was just like the rest of India, too many people and not enough town, but no cricket. I did find a restaurant that put it on for me but I missed the start and there was no crowd. A bit disappointing.
So I went to Mahabodhi temple which was built in the 6th century and is still in good condition. Behind the temple is the tree under which Buddha became enlightened, although its actually from a cutting of the original tree, which was long ago taken to Sri Lanka. You can't sit exactly under the tree, but quite close. I sat there for a while watching the monks and the pilgrims. Went inside the temple where there is 2m high Buddha. Around the temple there were various prayer groups, and also monks, and a few western ladies, bowing down. They stand at one end of a special flatbed of wood, make a prayer action then kneel, then lie on their belly before pushing themselves back up and repeating the process. I sat near to a group of about 100 monks as they were lead in prayer. Then sat in the park and read.
Picked up Norwegian guy on the way back who was looking for this hotel. Watched some of the cricket with the owner's nephew, friendly family guest house. Went for dinner with the norwegian guy.
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