Keep Smiling's Guestbook

The best laid plans...
Thanks Merry Jo. Yes, although I'm a sceptic sometimes, in India I do make an effort to be as philosophical as they are too. Everyone needs to make a living and, well, if we comparatively wealthy people from the West get ripped off now and again, it's not life-threatening for us - but it could be life-enhancing for them!

An experience?
Yes, it certainly was for these two old men! Perhaps it was one we wouldn't want to repeat in a hurry, but we were on a spiritual journey and that would have been incomplete without arriving by boat on the sacred river which had made Varanasi such a revered place. Thanks for sharing our little adventure.

The Ganges is very clear or very grey, depending on where you see it!
Thanks for your observation about the colour of the Ganges. At Devprayag - where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda join to become the Ganges, it was clean. By the time we reached Varanasi (blog to be published soon), it was a nasty shade of grey. One day, but not in my lifetime, it will surely be revered for its cleanliness as well as for its holiness. I've enjoyed your epilogue to last year's visit to Sri Lanka, somewhere once on my bucket list (but removed because of concern about human rights) and it's sad to know that conflict still exists based on cultural and religious issues. I continue to be surprised that, despite its history, India doesn't suffer to the same extent - Hindus and Muslims still live in harmony and British visitors are still so highly thought of. For me, it's the warmth of all the people who make me want to return there almost every year. Perhaps Sri Lanka will one day be like that again - memories do fade. Finally, Ren, please accept my condolences on the loss of your cousin Melanie. A sad conclusion to your epilogue indeed.

Eric Newby
Thanks Karen. Yes, 'Slowly down the Ganges' is still in my bookcase too. I must re-read it sometime. I used to have a copy of his first book 'The Last Grain Race' - which shows my age; I don't plan to emulate even a tiny bit of that sailing boat journey from Australia however!

Yes, India assails all the senses.
And, if anywhere is going to assail every single one of them, it's Allahabad! Or Varanasi. Or Jaipur. Or Delhi. Or... Although my brother David, that grey-haired nomad, came with me, he often saw things differently and his blogs are worth reading too. He's a bit ahead of me, both in years and in writing about our adventures!

I'd go back tomorrow!
Tigers - at last and so much other more wildlife too. If my beloved India wasn't such a vast country, I'd return to Bandhavgarh, its wildlife and its Tigergarh on the next available flight. Yes, I will go back there some day, but next on the list is Gujarat, its wild asses (snigger...) and the only remaining wild lions in Asia. Watch this space - for another 12 months or so!

Yes, four tigers!
I'm pleased this brought back some memories for you. We were incredibly lucky to see so many of these fabulous creatures. I think it says a lot for the skill and experience of Tigergarh's owner, Gagan, who insisted on accompanying us into the park each time. I've told him that I'll be coming back, but only on condition that he finds me some big male tigers next time - and, now you mention it, one taking a dip in some water would be good too!

Energy and healing were definitely required!
To reach the point where the Ganges was born involved walking down hundreds of steps that seemed to have been designed for people with long legs and healthy joints and, inevitably, climbing back up them again afterwards. For two old men this involved a lot of energy - and even more healing later. Fortunately, we were only a week or so into our spiritual journey!