Varanassi
Trip Start
Sep 28, 2005
1
173
177
Trip End
Dec 24, 2007
Varanassi, India
Friday, December 15, 2006
Getting to Varanassi was fine. I left nice and early from Bodhgaya after meditation to get the shared rikshaw to Gaya. From Gaya i got the 2.30pm train which actually arived at 2.30pm! It arived before schedule 12km from Varanassi and then i got a shared rikshaw to the closest train station and then a cycle rikshaw to my destination.
Things were not as easy as all that though.......................................!
1st i saw a cyclist off their bike getting helped up on a cycle rikshaw through Gaya to the trainstation.
At Gaya train station there was a guy who jumped down onto the tracks (common) and then tried jumping up my side. He lost his balance and fell taking a poor inocent bystander with him! The 2nd guy was fine but the 1st was covered in shit (literally), it is the waste which runs straight off the trains - nasty!
Then i got on a crazy 3 wheeler jouney to Varanassi, he drove at a lightning speed laughing and joking with me about god knows what, then we saw a cycle rikshaw turned over (obviously hit by a car). Then the crazy 3 wheeler driver saw 3 people sat on the back of a cment mixer. He tugget at my shoulder to look and then he sped right up to them so we were millimeters away scaring thm sensless, he was continuously laughing the whole time (and it was pretty funny!). Then they tried to rip me off but i saw through it - no chance!
Then i got a cycle rikshaw to the guesthouse area (supposidly) although he had no idea where he was going, dropped me somewhere else completly and then tried to charge me loads of money for the journey!
Then i had to walk through crowded Varanassi with some festival going on in darknedd at about 7.30pm. There was a guy who constantly followed me for 45 minutes talking to me, not giving me any space - this was the worst incounter i have experianced and i even had to square upt o him to try and get rid of him to no avail! He followed me all accross the gats (very scary area at night) and there was a guy who was about to intervene when i squared up to this guy until i calmed down. I found the GH but didnt want to let him know where i was staying so i sat down for the umptienth time and this guy, this saintly guy came and helped me get rid of him not before he turned a bit nasty and physical. A horrible experiance but not a problem as it all ended up ok. I also left my guidebook on the step, returned 30 mins later and it was still there, phew!
I was also very glad the guesthouse had a bed. I asked originally but they said they had no rooms, i was dreading having to go outside again and he said, 'but we have a dorm bed', out of habit i asked how much it is but i would have taken it at any cost!
After this horrible experiance i got some nice food and sleped lik a baby (after meditation of course!).
Next day was much better, i spent it wandering along the Ghats (where they burn bodies and wash themselves in the Ganges). It was nice, although the hasle was unbelievable. I had to resort to the iPod to attempt to get hasstled, it worked a bit but dosnt really work when you have people hanging off your arm! I also saw some of the funerl burning - which is really atmospheric and would be great apart from the constant hasstle everywhere of course!
It is smelly, hasstly and very, very dirty but has maybe more character than i have experianced anywhere. I hate it but i love the fact that i hate it!
Today my Israeli friend from meditation came so we have spent the morning on a boat along the Ganges followed by some meditation. No hasstle today yet - i think it is better walking around with someone! I will go to the station today to check my train ticket to Agra. tomorrow and also to Jet airways to check out my Bangkok flight.
15/12/06
Confirmed flight and ticket sorted, although it took me a total of 5 hours to walk there and back!! I did my meditation and chilled out in the evening with Annon playing chess. Now today i have my ticket to Agra at 18.15. Im going to miss Varanassi its a real nice place but looking forward to getting out of India so its good to be getting closer to Delhi.
