It is a grey, foggy,cold morning at 5am! We are all exhausted, cold and hungry as we arrive in Varanasi. The quality of sleep on trains in India is very poor - largely as a result of all the comings and goings during the night. Unlike China, there is no lockable door, only a curtain and this means that David and Nicole atleast are on constant security watch. The lady who has shared our carriage has commandeered her husband to drive us away from the station ( which judging by the awaiting taxis and touts is a blessing) and has also arranged a room in a local hotel of which she approves! This proves to be well out of town in a "better" area - but above budget and also not very nice! We hail an auto and make our way to the Temple on the Ganges hotel - which overlooks Assi Ghat and enjoy pancakes and hot coffee before unpacking and getting our bearings. The rest of the day is spent taking in our surroundings in the local area on foot. It is an eclectic mix, we suspect a love/hate town, there are western hippies and travellers, the locals and the pilgrims. Add in several herds of wandering cattle, goats and packs of dogs, a good dose of fog and dust and combine with cycle rickshaws, autos and horse drawn carts and constant noise and Indian music which eminates from the holy Ganges banks. Don't forget the temple bells and trumpet blowing, the incense and cow poo smells and you get a small inkling as to where we are! Also within the mix are many, many, many beggars, those less physically or mentally able and those who have chosen to live an extremely humble existence based on the good will and generosity of people they meet. It is most definitely the most "authentic" India we have visited so far - and one that will take a bit of getting used to.
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