Varanasi

Varanasi is a holy town and an important pilgrimage for Hindus. Many of the stories told about what happens at the Ganges is an everyday practice here. During a morning walk along the Ghats (steps leading into the river) we passed locals going about their usual day; bathing, washing and drying clothes and boys playing cricket on the steps. We witnessed a funeral procession, a body wrapped in shawls being lead to the water, dipped into the holy Ganges preparing for burning on a pyre.

It is said that Varanasi is an assault on the senses and most find this place, so different from what we consider the norm to be overwhelming at times, however we were fortunate to visit this holy city at the end of our trip. This allowed us to look past the grub and smells and see how the locals live and appreciate why they love this place. The whole city draws life from this river and the town had a very relaxed and peaceful feel.

Lucknow

Lucknow is famous for its architecture and art. As our last destination we decided to bite the bullet of the heat and go explore Bara Imamabara, a colossal tomb. The feature of this complex is a labyrinth of intricate balconies and passages (Bhul Bhulaiyya).

Onward...

We are now preparing for an overnight train to Delhi, then straight to the airport to fly on to Istanbul (not Constantinople...). Our 26 days in India has been a challenging and memorable experience. The constant battle against the heat, hygiene, pollution and scammers, were made worthwhile by the rich cultural, historical and culinary experience. The lasting impression will be a greater appreciation for the quality of life that we are able to live while there are so many people surviving on so little that are still able to find joy in life.

We are really looking forward to our next three weeks travelling around turkey! We are now approximately halfway through our trip and Istanbul seems to be an appropriate place to make the transition from Asia to Europe (ignoring the fact that we fly into the European side of Istanbul then spend most of our three weeks on the Asian continent... details, details). So we say goodbye to $20 a night accommodation, $2 taxi fares, $5 feasts... and hello to Europe!