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Hey Guys,
So after a lift to the Airport, a flight to Munich, a five hour wait in Munich Airport, a flight to Delhi, a taxi to Nizamuddin Station, a train to Haridwar and a one hour very cold autorickshaw ride we finally arrived in Rishikesh. Rishikesh is the self appointed "Capital of Yoga" and sits along the sacred River Ganges. We got a really nice room in the Hotel we wanted, the New Bhandari Swiss Cottage which sits on the High Bank away from the main town. The night we got here we just crashed because we had only had a two hours sleep on the plane and maybe another hour on the sleeper train.
Yesterday after a long lie in we had a wander around Rishikesh and had a look at the Lhaksman Jhula bridge which is the one you see on any pics of Rishikesh. Rishikesh has a real hippy feel and the westerners you do see look like they came in the Seventies and stayed here or have been visiting one of the Yoga Ashrams. India generally has been a pleasant surprise we have had no hassle and if anything people have rounded down the bill. Like anywhere there are people selling things and begging but they never ask more than once and it never feels threatening like it can in some places. The food has been pretty good too and most restaurants have a fairly cosmopolitan menu... not even a glimpse of Delhi Belly so far.
Today we have been White Water Rafting along the Ganges (which Laura has swallowed half of during her body surfing attempts). It was a 26km stretch with rapids up to grade III . We shared the raft with a lovely Indian couple from Mumbai and for one brief spell a third rather large indian chap who needed rescueing! After a break for some snacks Laura persuaded me to jump off a thirty foot rock whilst the guide oggled my sunnies. We have just got back and are going to head up to the hotel for a massage and some dinner...then it's time to pack our bags ready to head up to Mussoorie tomorrow.
Love to all
Laura and Gareth
P.s. For the India boffins amongst you the picture is Varanasi not Rishikesh but this thing makes you add a photo and until we upload some of our own this is the nearest there is.
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