03/03/2010

My third full day in India, I arrived at Vanarasi Train Station and hasselled by all the Indians offering cheaper guest houses, I found a guest house in the guide book I bought yesterday although it was a little outdated by 5 years, I was taken by a cycle rickshaw driver to this guesthouse where he at times struggled with me and my luggage to a point where he had to dismount and push.

This first guesthouse did not have a dorm room as indicated in the guidebook so I went in search of one that did. It took a little while to get away from the rickshaw driver as he gets a little commission for taking people to guesthouses, so at one point I ran and hide from him. I wondered the narrow alleyways around Varanasi amongst the smells and cows in search of another place offering dorms and after 45 minutes I eventually found it.

At Rs 50 a night, just over a dollar is always good in my book and on top of a 7 story building with an amazing view of the Ganges River I certainly was not going to complain.

I had a little nap as the journey to get here wasn’t an easy place to sleep.

I met 3 Israeli’s where they invited me to join them for cali which includes Dal (a lentil soup), a vegetable curry, rice and chipati all for 30 rupies.

We headed down to the river for the daily ceremony where I bumped into the 2 Canadians I know from the train I almost got on back in Kolkata.

The ceremony was ok, just lots of loud noises from bells, fire and incense.

Trying to make my way back to the hotel and to bed though the narrow alleyways was concerning, it gets awfully confusing, and it took me almost an hour although being a little lost to get back but still was interesting seeing all the arts and crafts and various foods on sale.

HDR of Hotel in Kolkata

Homeless Man

Fat kid in Van who constantly picked his nose