Varanassi

The sleeper train was rammed and my bunk had been double booked. Luckily I got there first and by booking long predated the other so the inspector lady sorted out something else for the other guy (I hope he was ok). I was lucky as one of the ladies in a bunk near spoke good English to translate. I even watched a couple of movies (with headphones) on my top bunk before dropping off.

When I woke up the whole train was empty. Panic set in a little, could we of passed Varanassi an hour early? I found some people a few bays down who assured me not. In fact we arrived 2 hours late, just like home then.

Been here 2 days now and have been getting to know the place. To Hindus this one of (if not the) holiest place in India. This is for lots of reasons but not least of which is it is the only place the Ganges flows back towards the Himalaya. Today I walked the whole length of the ghats up the river to the bridge then meandered back through the streets stopping for food, refreshments and even a shave and beard trim from a street barber. I also saw a fresh water dolphin!!! Really rare now. The chap I was sat next to hadn’t seen one for 10 years. I think there’s only two species in the world in the Amazon and Ganges (tho there may be one in the Yanksee or Yellow rivers).

The Burning Ghats are strange places where people’s bodies are burned on funeral pyres and then there ashes put in the Ganges. This is going on 24 hours a day with some times up to 20 pyres at once. George Harrisons ashes were scattered here apparently.

Tomorrow I may rickshaw around some temples and start to plan the journey up to Nepal.

Laters

Dan

Ps I've added some photos to previous posts.

Washing on the Ghats: