Sunrise on the Ganges

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With four hours sleep under my belt I got showered and ready to meet the girls for our sunrise boat trip along the Ganges. It was 5.30am as the girls and our driver pulled up outside the OK. Every time I had been awake at this time, the various cities I'd been to in India were quiet - no horns, no hubbub - but Varanasi was different. As we made our way to the Ghats the main street was filled with throngs of people, cars and tuc tuc's all making their way there too!

We got on our tour boat with our guide and headed up stream. The Ghats were just as busy as they had been last night,. Hundreds of people all sat in boats or on the shore waiting for sunrise. As it began to get brighter we started to see all the locals and a few of the nutty tourists bathing in the Ganges. People were stood in the water washing their cloths on huge stones and some were sending their floating wishing candles out into the river.

Just then we saw the sun start to appear on the horizon, a beautiful deep red orange colour. As it began to climb slowly into the sky, Julie and I started trying to take really arty shots with reflections and other boats before heading back to shore.

For breakfast we went back to the Pizzeria and had banana and honey pancakes...the best breakfast so far! They were amazing, cooked perfectly with oodles of honey on top. We met back up with our driver and headed to one of the 25 Shiva Temples (Varanasi being Shiva's city). It was truly stunning, with many ornate carvings and exerts from Hindu writings on the walls with English translations underneath, some of which were hugely deep and profound for that time in the morning.

Yesterday the girls asked their new found friend and guide to meet us at 4pm to show us the market but with time to kill we did a little shopping and had some henna done. 'Smartypants', as Julie and Diane had renamed him, was the most knowledgeable person we had met on the trip so far. Vanesh is a 20 year-old guy studying history at the loacal uni. He had put himself through school, spoke perfect English and worked 11.30pm till 2am to pay for his university and extra tuition. He answered every question not only on Varanasi and the Ganges but also all the questions I'd had unanswered on Indian culture - a truly unique young man.

After the girls had shopped and I and Vanesh had talked we all headed to the Bread Of Life restaurant for dinner. It was a multicultural menu that yet again offered fantastic food at extremely reasonable prices. I had salt and pepper panir to start (unanimously the best choice) followed by biriyani rice, taka dahl, chicken curry and roti's. For 200rupees (3pounds) each, or there abouts, we were stuffed - especially after our earlier visit to an Indian sweet shop! If you ever come to India get a guide or well spoke local to take you to a sweet shop - they're like handmade petit fours, only more flavorsome and delightfully moreish!

We walked back to Assi Ghat where after two excellent days of the best company on this trip so far, the girls and I said goodbye to eachother. We promised to stay in touch and said we'd meet up when I made it to the USA - two of the most lovely genuine people you could ever wish to meet.

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