One of the most awesome places. Maybe in comparison to the train journey...
I arrived at 5am after just catching the train.... the wrong train! Was crammed into a general carriage, well the space next to the toilet, with 3 french guys, 500 indians and only enough room to stand. The smell of piss so strong my lungs wheezed. spitting smoking and drunken swaying surrouding us. We got off just in time to catch another train at 1am with 3 hours to Varanasi.
Was spiritually moved by the sunrise over the Ganges. Buffallo plodding, washing of Bodies, clothes and teeth, piles of shit, holy Sadhus doing their pujas, candles floating, boatmen touting, water collecting, scrap seeking dogs, burning bodies, laughing groups, fresh puris and just about everything imaginable all in a walk by the river.
Was befriended by a local and taken out to lunch, saw views from great heights, sped through the rush hour traffic on a moped and rowed on the ganges whilst setting candles afloat as the moon rose. The burning ghats looked weirdly like the startings of the great fire of London as tabla music whafted over the dark mysterious holy waterway.
Slept really well that night as the cold air sped through the bars on the sleeper train. On my way to Nepal.
Straight from the horse's mouth
