So, we've talked of many an uncomfortable journey but the train from Agra to Varanasi definitely topped our list. With our last minute sleeper class ticket we knew we weren't going to be in the lap of lucury however none of us could have anticipated the sheer volumes we would perspire. Squashed onto PVC half metre wide bunks we endured 14 hours of hell before finally peeling ourselves reluctantly from them to discover our clothes were salt-sweat stained and sodden. Liv aptly captured the feeling upon awakening, declaring 'I feel like a slug..'
Once we finally found our hotel we had an amazing shower and enjoyed the feeling of cleanliness for precisely 2 seconds before the sweat began to pour once more and we were informed that it was 48 degrees. The heat wsa like nothing we'd experienced before - the only way to describe it is like walking into a sauna fully clothed and not being able to get out. We spent most of our time skulking in the shadows, cafe hopping from once lemon soda to another.
Definitely one of the highlights of Varanasi, besides the incredible sights and wonderful architecture was 'Vaatika Pizzeria' that provided us with a total of 13 extra large, thin crusted, Italian style pizzas and 11 beautifully beautiful apple crumbles laden with dollops of creamy vanilla ice cream. Not a whiff of a lentil or curry leaf in sight!
The best way to see Varanasi is by boat, where you see a great view of the Ganga and the burning ghats. The burning of the bodies was not quite the shocking sight we had expected, in fact there was something quite harmonious and beautiful about it. However, whilst gliding down the river Ganga, the sun shining its golden light upon the soft rippling water, we were totally enraptured by the ethereal ambiance. Then suddenly out of nowhere bobbing along amongst the lotus offerings, was a bulbous, bloated, decomposing, swollen body of a holy man - apparently they don't burn those fuckers!!
After watching the ceremony of strange sadhus waving candles and incense, we stopped for chai and salted biscuits at a riverside stop. Our deeply religious boatman, concerned for his and our karma, to our horror, gave the final 5 biscuits to a pack of wild, mangy dogs. Feeling the hole in her stomach, Ana dishearteningly proclaimed: 'karma, shmarma, gimme a biccie!' We're just glad they have their priorities straight.....
We gave our Indian host an equally shocking sight - post shower we naturally pranced around our room with a towel covering only our locks, unaware that the 'tinted gauze' covering the window was not so tinted at all! 10 mins later we were taken aside and told sheepishly by Diamond the manager 'Anaji, the curtains....you must use them'. LOL oops. Quite a sight we're sure....
Other experiences in Varanasi included getting lost in the cobbled streets of the old city and making a few more unnecessary purchases, consuming the best lassi we've had to date and dodging the chanting processions of bodies to be burned.
From Varanasi to Rishikesh, we're here at our penultimate destination and our last INDIAN blog entry, sniff sniff (Olivia), is soon to follow!!
Once we finally found our hotel we had an amazing shower and enjoyed the feeling of cleanliness for precisely 2 seconds before the sweat began to pour once more and we were informed that it was 48 degrees. The heat wsa like nothing we'd experienced before - the only way to describe it is like walking into a sauna fully clothed and not being able to get out. We spent most of our time skulking in the shadows, cafe hopping from once lemon soda to another.
Definitely one of the highlights of Varanasi, besides the incredible sights and wonderful architecture was 'Vaatika Pizzeria' that provided us with a total of 13 extra large, thin crusted, Italian style pizzas and 11 beautifully beautiful apple crumbles laden with dollops of creamy vanilla ice cream. Not a whiff of a lentil or curry leaf in sight!
The best way to see Varanasi is by boat, where you see a great view of the Ganga and the burning ghats. The burning of the bodies was not quite the shocking sight we had expected, in fact there was something quite harmonious and beautiful about it. However, whilst gliding down the river Ganga, the sun shining its golden light upon the soft rippling water, we were totally enraptured by the ethereal ambiance. Then suddenly out of nowhere bobbing along amongst the lotus offerings, was a bulbous, bloated, decomposing, swollen body of a holy man - apparently they don't burn those fuckers!!
After watching the ceremony of strange sadhus waving candles and incense, we stopped for chai and salted biscuits at a riverside stop. Our deeply religious boatman, concerned for his and our karma, to our horror, gave the final 5 biscuits to a pack of wild, mangy dogs. Feeling the hole in her stomach, Ana dishearteningly proclaimed: 'karma, shmarma, gimme a biccie!' We're just glad they have their priorities straight.....
We gave our Indian host an equally shocking sight - post shower we naturally pranced around our room with a towel covering only our locks, unaware that the 'tinted gauze' covering the window was not so tinted at all! 10 mins later we were taken aside and told sheepishly by Diamond the manager 'Anaji, the curtains....you must use them'. LOL oops. Quite a sight we're sure....
Other experiences in Varanasi included getting lost in the cobbled streets of the old city and making a few more unnecessary purchases, consuming the best lassi we've had to date and dodging the chanting processions of bodies to be burned.
From Varanasi to Rishikesh, we're here at our penultimate destination and our last INDIAN blog entry, sniff sniff (Olivia), is soon to follow!!
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