Day 10 Monday 11thDecember Boat Ride & Bhang Lassi Bill, Shirl & kids do get up & go for the early boat ride, seeing the sunrise over the Gangies and going past the Dashashwarnedh Ghatt to other ghatts further on. A shame I missed this again, as I did last time I was here 30 years ago! I guess it’s my karma to not see sunrises from here…. Apparently both Rocco & Esmee helped row back to shore and they all said it was worth getting up very early. We all had breakfast together, Esmee managing half a bowl of porridge with honey, finishing off Roccos chocolate pancake and the scrambled egg on the tiny square of toast which I had promised her if she ate most of her breakfast (she has been eating like a ... read more

Day 8 (Saturday 9thDecember) Varanasi We all had a lie-in today. Although we were woken by a monkey fight and loud parrot who squeeked! Better than car horns though and the air is much clearer (apart from cremation smoke of course). Our somewhat grotty rooms are bearable. Managed to squeeze an extra bed into the Reedies room (although they had an extra large double already, so now have very little space around the beds). Electrical sockets are hanging off the walls; I have a socket-hole near the floor which has a light fitting in it (2” from floor!) All our rooms are in a line and we each have small balconies enclosed by a strong metal grill (to keep the monkeys out). This morning we stood out there, talking to each other from the balconies. The ... read more

Day 6 (Thursday 7thDecember) A Temple and a Cave I waited outside reception until 6.05 but none of the others appeared so I set off alone. I walked to the security gate (they had a bombing a few years back, by radical Hindu’s) but was told that as I had a camera I had to pay at the counter 500 yards back, so had to retrace my steps, pay my Rs300 for a camcorder and return to security going through the metal detector and frisking that is involved (I hadn’t taken my mobile as they are not allowed, or a bag as not needed). Temple entry was free. Inside the Mahabodhi Temple grounds the pillars were covered in flowers and prayer flags flew across the paths. The steps leading down to the main temple were framed ... read more

Day 3 (Monday 4thDecember) Last Day in Delhi So we had an early breakfast and packed all our bags as we had to check out at high noon and had a 2 hour walk pre-booked. I checked if we could leave our bags at the hotel as our train doesn’t leave until 7.45pm. The hotel was great and allowed us to leave our bags in a secure place for free. After breakfast we grabbed a tuk-tuk to the Railway Reservation Office on the main road and lurked around until approached by a guy who showed us a small chai shop in a side street where a few others waited and we all had some chai. Eventually the last couple turned up & we set off down the side street which was full of rubbish and rat ... read more

Well, back to India after 30 years away. Trying to recall what happened back then....all a blur now! I was persuaded to go again by some friends of over 40 years standing (but mostly sitting or lying down) who wished to go before they got any older. These friends consist of Mal, from Liverpool, whose husband is too ill to join us, so she will be leaving early in order to be with him at Christmas. Also a retired couple, Bill & Shirl, and their recently adopted grandchildren, Rocco (9) and Esmee (6). We are going for the month of December (but only 3 weeks for Mal). We have bought our return flights through Finnair, so a stopover at Helsinki is on the cards, but we'll only have a chance to see the city on our ... read more