Taj Mahal and Varanasi

Our train journey from Delhi to Agra was delayed and so we turned up a tiny bit late, but it wasn't so bad. As soon as we stepped of the train we became the autodrivers' bate, but we insisted of getting a government auto, which was fine, the guy we got was really helpful and friendly and even let Dave drive the auto which was crazy. We got the driver to take us to the Taj Ghat area, which was really nice. Our hotel was called the Shanti guest house and it had a rooftop restaurant with a view of the Taj Mahal. The room was ok, very gloomy with the paper falling of the ceiling and walls but its what you get when you pay for a budget room. So we got some dinner at the restaurant and went to bed because we got up at 5.30 am the the next morning to go and see the Taj Mahal at sunrise- it was incredible. The whole thing feels like a dream. The best time to go is early in the morning as there is hardly anyone there, it gets so busy, by 10 am we had to leave as it got all to busy and we were getting more and more attention.

We walked back to our hotel and then had breakfast on the roof while gazing at the Taj and Dave was playing his ukeule it was perfect! In the afternoon we had a walk through the back streets found lots of pigs, cows and dogs being chased by children, great fun. The next day we went to Agra fort station to catch our train to Varansi, we got into a auto which is the norm apart that this one stopped at a roadside mechanic in a busy street, where he started to weld a hole, which is quite normal, but this hole was right next tot he gas tank, the terror on mine and Dave's face was a picture, but we are alive so its all good.

The train ride was good we sat with a nice family and they asked us about England. The train, like the rest of India, is not a quite place and the whole time there are people walking up and down the train trying to sell you toys, food, chai (tea). We also had a transexual and a girl playing the drum trying to get money. Eventually about 8pm people started to go to sleep and so Dave and I climbed onto the top bunk! (So much fun!) It is actually quite easy to sleep on a train when it quietens down Due to the train rocking you to sleep. At 5.13 am we arrived in Varanasi and waited for our driver to pick us up, when we were waiting we became very unnerved as there were some bags left of ages on their own and so we thought...... bomb, this was more worrying as only a few days before a bomb went of at one of Varanasi's Ghats, but nothing to worry about. Anyway these bags got picked up but seriously the security in India is not very good. We got some sleep at our hotel and then had breakfast, the hotel was very nice but too expensive, it was a family run hotel where you felt like one of the family. Dave and I then walked along the Ghats, they were so chilled out and relaxed, there were people in the water washing themselves, their clothes and their cows!!! We also walked passed the burning Ghat which has had a continual fire burning for at least 500 years. We also walked in the back streets and had a look at all the clothes and jewelery that was for sale. Even though Varanasi seemed very chilled out, we were bothered the whole time, by boatmen and little girls selling postcards, it is ok to be asked, it is when you are followed that you get fed up, but I guess they are only trying to make a living. In the evening we went to the Assi ghat ceremony where we watched people swinging a gold bucket alight with fire while placing flowers down and blasting out this great Indian music out of these massive speakers.

In the evening we booked a river trip for sunrise so again we woke up at 5.30 am to watch the sunrise over the river, it was beautiful a real treat. The rest of the day we moved to our new hotel (Cheaper) and also has a rooftop restaurant over the ganges, we are loving the rooftop restaurants. We are only going to stay one or two days more depending on the trains as we are not really enjoying Varanasi, the people here try and get so much money out of you and also try to sell you drugs, which we are not interested in. So we are hoping to go to the Ajanta caves next so that will be exciting!