Here we are in Varanasi, site of learning, many Hindu temples and the holy Ganges. It's hard core India, over populated, extremely hot (over 100 degrees and expected to be 113 this week). We are staying with Jon and Garima who are working for Wiwam. It's been an incredible experience here good and bad. Garima took us on a prayer walk around the city through tiny alley ways crammed with shops, people, motorbikes, dogs, cows and bulls. We narrowly avoided being ...

We're in Mumbai celebrating our 10 year anniversary, (a little early as its in July) in a very swanky but lovely hotel. We are here for just 4 nights before we connect with friends in Mumbai where we will celebrate Easter! Prices here are comparable to the UK which is a bit of a shock as everything up until now has been so cheap. We thought we would have dinner last night outside overlooking the sea at a traditional Indian restaurant. It was all so perfect until...

After a great 3 hour train ride to Chandigarh we were greeted by our hosts: Natasha and Minasha who own and run a bookshop called "Spread the Word."It's based in a residential area in Sector 21. The whole city is divided into sectors each with its own shops and housing. At first the idea of staying in a sector seemed quite Orwell like but in reality the roads and streets were the cleanest we've seen in India yet and we felt at home in the Western like areas. Cha...

My first Indian railway experience: First negotiate Auto Rickshaw price with 2 drivers. Drive 1 mile through traffic at 07:00a.m to the station. Porter carries luggage on his head. Walk down to 3rd class rail car, one of 15! Settle into reclining seat with air con. Read provided newspaper and sip provided bottled water. Waiter brings thermos of hot water for tea and a rich tea biscuit. Use clean Western style toilet. Waiter brings breakfast - an omelette...

We drove a long and hot 5 hours to reach Jaipur at 6:30 p.m after a stop along the way to visit a deserted sandstone city- Fatehpur which we did not appreciate in the heat of the day but it was spectacular all the same. The scenery along the way was a mixture of smoke stacks, where they manufacture bricks and agriculture. The farm workers do back breaking work hand harvesting the crops, not a machine in sight. It's a bi yearly Hindu festival this week, the Hindu...