Yes we are in INDIA....and yes it is damn hot!!....but just to recap on the days before leaving to the land of curries.....we had to say farewells to all the senior members of Ullens....and worst of Surendra (I van...again) he phoned us and said he was coming ionto school....so he came UP to the penthouse suite and gave us a present....oh my god we love him! He has given us some Nepali bangles....as we told him we liked the ones his wife wears....however he thought we were a tad smallr than we actually are and they dont really fit....managed to squeeze some on, but many have been broken in the attempts...Meg also sat on hers at a later date in the travels when waiting at the train station!!

So...the travels begin...we left Ullens in A van with Sabin (medins drver) a classic way to leave the school....2 star nealry got me (rose) crying when we had to say bye....coiuldnt talk in case the tears came out....so bode farewell and headed to the airport. Arrived and refused to leave the bus...but we did eventually! So got out and walked into the airport...coul NOT find where to go at all....turned out we were at the wrong trminal....muh to the mens amusment we were in the international when we should have been in domestic! OOPS....cracking start so far! So walked the 5 min nepali time to the correct one!

Plane flight was fine and dandy...got sweets and peanuts and drink...amazng! Then jumped on a rickshal to the border, a very long cycle rie for the poor man at only 2 pounds....poor him! SO offically got stamped out of Nepal and headed for INDIA....its hot already! Walked into India and it was immediate hassle....Madame, Madame..bus, come come.....so we found one man and jumped on...turnes ou to be a local bus, but very cheap...howevber also very squashed! Made it to the Gorakpur train station in one piece, but on route out driver did infact jump out of his seat with his men and start to beat up a tik tuk driver....random!!

So at station we walked in and tried to find where to buy a ticket to Varinasi....qued up when a man came over and asked us where we were headed, we told him and he said...come come....he then when to a different ticket box and talked to the man....told us the ammount, we gave it and gave us a ticket...'should we be doing this??'....done...then he said, come come....'shall we follow??'....we followed from afar as we werew aware we were the only whities and getting a lot of stares.....so we followed and then he stopped and said...'tis is my wife'....oh good, he is safe....so we sat near him, and 10 mins later...come come....he walked past with wife, so we went and he said, the train was in....found the train and hoped on. We had bee book on a local train, no reserved seats, so the train sits in the staion for 2 hours and fills up....we were early so got a seat, thank goodness! It soon filled up, but people were afraid to sit with the wite girls....eventually got away late!! It is on the same time as Nepal in lateness!! Most of the poeple spoke english so talkked a bit with then...mostly about CRICKET...!! We were then told that the train was running 3 ours late....fantastic....or not as this them meant our train would not be arriving till 11pm...our first night in India dn we did not want to be arriving at 11pm at night to a place we didnt know....also the man and wife had gone and we were leaft with Mr freaky eyes and some others....Mr freaky eyes kept on about how we eat meant and that we would be hurted if we did that in India...so we said we were vegitarian, saved arguing....which we all know Meg loves a bit of a debate....so when she said mena nd women were equal in England I gave her the eyes to shut up as this didnt seem to go down well!!

So after a very painful train rie of 6 hours on a hard bench....Meg also got made to move forward to let an old ladylie down....she was not too impressed....we were super tired and a little nervous! But Mr duble Deim told us when we arrived and helped us off the train, bless him! So got off and thank goodness there were billions of Tuk tuks.....so got on one to find a hostel....the man landed us to a place called old Yogi Lodge...cheap, a bit dirty, bt a bed and squate loo (thank goodness for the shewees)...ordered a cheese toasty to the room (very smart) then hit the sack....

So far....its hot and it mental....and I dont think we have ever been so stared at, especially on the train, we were the attraction of the trip for them....roll up roll up, two white girls on a train....so far to be frank...we miss Nepal! But its only day one....

Meg what happened in day 2...hit us up....so before i begin, firstly this keyboard has no letters on the keys so excuse spelling..pubba B! We don't want to make India sound bad or anything, but in truth all we want to do is go home....Nepal home....positive attitides and all...we awoke at 8.22am, after a very average nights sleep...much to Roses annoyance and mine also i really struggle to sleep with the fan on...A curry breakfast, and then out to the Ghats....a beautiul river...the ganges, but it 100 percent does not look pure or clean! Had a wander and then much to Roses excitement we saw DIET COKE....had to be done, i had a THUMBS UP....true eat pray love styley....a great boost, Roses diet coke on the other hand turned out to be truye North Indian a con....only coce light...In general not sure on the North Indians...they just seem to want our money or stare....and when i say stare, its a million times worse than Nepal...it is hot.....So some children told us that they wanted top practise their english on us (a con according to the guide book) but we accepted, and for free they took us to the 'burning ghats'....a most disturbing experience! Their service was free, but they took us to their mate who we were then made to pay....VERY annoying! So the man gave us a little tour, classic quotes 'burning is learning' and 'cremation is education'...for those that don't know, the burning ghats are basically where hindu's go and get burnt when they die....so as we stood on the steps body after body came down....they are wrapped in material, but obiously as the fire burns their body is revealed....i defo saw a grey womans head....its horrid! So they are burntm and then their ashes get put into the river....right into the current where 25 metres down people are washing in what they think is sacred water....no thanks! We then visited the hospice...overlooking the burning ghats where we were blessed by an old woman (weird) and then had to give 100 rupees...rubbish! Just to add to the money taking, we were then taken to the childrens shop and made to sit down....no we didn't buy anything!

Its like playing a game to stop yourselves walking into a con....anyhow! Back to the hostel, booked our train to Agra....a sleeper train, very exciting! And then decided to do a boat trip down the sacred Ganges....unbelieviable amount of flies...but met an Austalian couple and watched a ceremony of celebration...saw a dead animal floating along the 'sacred' ganges....pretty cool trip, but then we were told that we had to go to see the Muslims....not quite sure why, we hesitantly followed...not Muslim....Muslin....yes, another material shop...point blank said no, and headed back to hostel...another curry supper on the roof terrace, met some people from Denmark...travelling chat, and then beddie byes....Varanassi, mental roads...hot....ok....still a bit emotional that Mohan (G Van)'s daughters wedding is tonight in Nepal...and we have missed it....

Rose....