Where have I been!!?? lol

Hi!!

This is my third attempt to leave a post, I have tried in three different places in the last 2 weeks and each time there was either a power cut or the computer just switched off can you believe it!!??

After Manali I headed down to Simla which is a hill top station -was very nice there, but only stayed there for a couple of days before going back down to Delhi and then to Varanasi.

Varanasi was extremely hot -about 45-47 degrees C and humid also, so only stayed 4 days there!! Managed to get lots seen and done though. Went on boat trips along the ganges (Ganga) river. Varanasi is a holy place, and there is a lot going on there. On the river there are many Ghats, for different purposes.

I saw the sunset ceremonies, and also the burning Ghats where they hold open cremations of up to 300 people per day. I wont ever be able to forget the smell of the place, of the water of the river and the corpses, cremations etc.

I couldn't quite believe some of things I was seeing. People waiting to die in hospices, just so they die in Varanasi. Also the bathing in different areas of the Ganga. We saw (in this order!!) A burning Ghat, A sewage pipe, People washing their clothes, 20 Buffalo wading in the mud and water - and then... people bathing!!! AAAaargh!! Couldn't quite work that one out, opted out for taking a dip!!

Went to see the place where Buddha taught thousands of years ago, and also saw the Bodhi tree, the national deer park and the oldest Jain temple in the world. Was very peaceful in the gardens there, and saw my first elephant and peacocks in India!!!

I then spent 27 hours on the train to come to Mumbai to escape the heat - it's only 33 degrees here :)

Have loads of pics to post, so will get them up soon!!!!