24 June - India - Varanasi - overnight train to Orchha It's not much cooler as we head down to the river at 5am. Our numbers are depleted due to illness. The same boat with same crew awaits. We see the ghats slowly come alive, the street kids & people stretching awake, rolling up their sacks & undertaking their ablutions .... Yes all !!!! in the river. The sun rises in a rosy glow, there is a much more relaxed feel about & the manic frenzy of last n...

23 June - India - Varanasi - Ganges Predawn bell ringing from a nearby temple across the river got us all awake. It was a relief to get up ... We were brought early morning masala tea, our tents were dismantled & packed away, breakfast was served & by 7am we were back on the river heading towards Varanasi. The day was hotter than yesterday & so still. The oarsman were having a hard time & we were struggling with the heat. We had to lie down to ba...

22 June - India - Varanasi - Ganges sail Today's plan is a sail down the Ganges, camp on the riverbanks, then sail back tomorrow. Firstly, we have to collect Andrea from the airport & we elect to go in the vehicle to see more of Varanasi. Well, we got more of a tour than we bargained for as once we left the airport our driver got a little lost. R was using his maps so we wended our way though some little villages stuck in medieval times - fascinating because...

21 June - India - Varanasi Oh dear ... Border woes!!!! We leave at 5.15 am & everything goes smoothly until the last person through & the Nepalese authorities notice that one girl has an Indian visa that says 'special condition; arrive by air & of course we have arrived on foot!!!! So .. We wait .... & wait .... & wait..& wait. We watch the shops slowly come alive & of course are a source of entertainment to the locals. 2hrs later &...