Varanasi: the city of learning and burning. The ancient city has much to be explored observing the people, ceremonies, and overall life (and death) that’s so evident. The mysterious Ganges river lined with multiple ghats and the gallies, narrow alleyways, weaving back into the city overflowing with traffic, people, monkeys, cows, goats and dogs all to the sound of incessant beeping. A sunset or sunrise boat trip to watch the daily washing rituals and cremations on the shores of the Ganges is a must on a trip here. Viewing the burning ghats from a rooftop is a fascinating process to watch and with 200-300 cremations a day it's certainly a busy place. Sipping on a freshly made lassi whilst bodies are carried past on bamboo stretchers soon becomes a regular event. Being here certainly seems a long way from home. Gambled on sleeper class on the train to Agra despite the horror stories of overcrowding and general dirtiness and perhaps our standards are just sufficiently low enough now that we found it fine. Despite the incessant staring, a little patting and another passenger partly on my bed... no problem!
