Northern India Journey - Day 22 Varanasi to Bodhgaya - 3/1/2011

The train to Gaya was in afternoon. I had a morning to go around Varanasi. I visited a mosque along the river, Aurangazeb Mosque. There was on people there except the security guard. The mosques was closed. When I decided to leave, there was a staff came to me and invited me to go inside to visit. He was a very nice guy. He introduced the mosque and a little history there. That really interesting.

The restaurant that I had my last meal in Varanasi.

The waiter was so excited to take picture with me. I think there were no much Asian tourist eat there.

Monks on the street. The tones of orange was so beautiful.

The Aurangazeb Mosque

Inside the mosque.

After lunch, I finally went ahead to the train station to leave Varanasi. The train was an hour delayed, comparatively "on time" in Indian schedule. In the train, I had read that the area in Bihar was not very safety. I was suggested to go to Bodhgaya after I have arrived Gaya. I was a bit worried as when I arrived there was already in evening. In the train, I met a man from Sikkim. He asked me to lend him my travel guide book. When he returned to me, He said it's dangerous to stay in Gaya and recommended me to join his family together to Bodhgaya. He even introduced me his son and said not to worry. I didn't join him in the end. Since suddenly someone being good to you in India was so strange to me. I know I was over sensitive when I recalled this incident.

Sometime in the journey I could always meet nice people who help me to solve problems. A man sat next to me, had no conversation for the entire trip at all, told me which was the station I had to get off!! I thought he'd heard my conversation with the Sikkim man. In the station, I couldn't see the family as too many people moving. I, therefore, tried to sort out how I should do. I met a Russian couple in the station. I asked them would they also went to Bodhgaya. As they had this idea, I asked whether I could join them. And that's all-right. We went there and picked a hostel to stay. But finding a hostel wasn't an easy task at night. We initially wanted to find a monastery to stay as it would be cheaper. But all temples were closed at that time. Our driver also insisted to bring us to a hostel he introduced. We took quite a long time to manage to get a room we want. Honestly, I'm really thanks that they would accept a stranger like me to join them for a trip.

Northern India Journey - Day 21 Sarnath - 2/1/2011

Taking auto-rickshaw always caused me some problems. I took an auto-rickshaw near my hostel. The car had to pass though a police road block to leave the old city area. All auto-rickshaw supposed should not go inside the area. The driver bribed the police in order to get inside to do business. When we arrived he train station, the driver asked me to pay him back the money for the bribing. That driven me crazy. After a long argument, I still paid for that. Which wasn't any big amount but I just felt quite unfair for that. So I learnt that never take a auto-rickshaw inside that area.

Outside the railway station, I took another auto-rickshaw to Sarnath. As I couldn't find any bus to get there. I first visited Dhamekh Stupa. The remains there are now under conservation. They are now much restored than when it was discovered by the archaeologists. You can see the picture in the museum near the ruins. In the ruins, I saw many pilgrims from Nepal and Sikkim come to visit and faithfully pray at there. Besides the stupa, there are a lot of monasteries built by many other countries' Buddhist organisations like Thailand, China and Japan. In the afternoon, there were more and more people came to visit, some of them were lamas. Then I realised that this year is the 2600th anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment

Dhamekh Stupa

People praying inside the ruins

The dear at the back of the remain.

Chaukhandi Stupa

The Buddha status in the Nepali temple.

Inside the Mulgandh Kutti Vihar. The painting was done by a Japanese artist

Northern India Journey - Day 20 Varanasi - 1/1/2011

The morning in Varanasi was a bit cold. A boat owner waited inside the hostel looking for some customer. I followed him to his boat for a morning trip for the Ganges River. The time I went there was already late. I didn't see the sun rise. But the sky was very misty. I thought I couldn't see it even I was on time. Before it started, 2 little girls selling flower candle came and sold. The way they sold the candle was annoying but yet funny. They spoke very quickly and demanded a really high price. they also insisted me to buy as much as possible for family and friends. That's a bit weird to bargain with kids.

Birds on the river. When the boat driver yelled, the birds would fly to the boat.

The Indian people doing puja.

In the mid of the trip, the driver took me to a burning ghat where Indian people burn the corpses. There was another guide took me to visit there. He explained everything about the history and culture there. When we went up to a building. he showed me an poor old lady without family. He said she was living there and waiting for her "last day". You guess what? The guide asked me to give some donation as she needed money to buy the wood for her funeral. That's a bit embarrassing here. It seemed rude to not give but I wasn't sure the money was actually helping her.

The woods for burning. That was the only thing the guide invited me to take picture of.

The tourist playing music with local.

After lunch, I went to Ramnagar Fort. The fort was on the other side of the river. You had to walked through a pantoon. The pantoon was quite scary which was using some big empty tanks to support the wooden bridge. Auto-rickshaws, cars, motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians were using the pantoon at the same time. Sometime the pantoon wasn't stable when a big vehical passed though.The fort wasn't very impressive as a whole. When I visited the museum inside, the electricity went off suddenly.

The pantoon. It would be shaky when a auto-rickshaw went though.

The gate of the fort.

Before the night, I went to the University to visit the museum, Bharath Kala Bhavan. There was a big collection of art, antiques and photographies.

The owner of a tea stall.

Northern India Journey - Day 19 Varanasi - 31/12/2010

I was kicked off by the hostel. Why? It's because the room I booked was 24-hour based. I arrived there at 4am last day. Therefore, they asked me to leave at 4am. With a bit negotiation, I left there at 5am. So I could only went to train station to wait the train.

The kids I met in the train station at Allahabad. They were really curious about me.

A classic old Indian couple in the train.

On the way to Varanasi.

This train was not as full as usual. There was quite roomy. While the train was running, a child using a broom, which was a cluster of green, to sweep the floor. I was pathetic to him. After a while, he came back and ask for money with his poor face. Usually I wouldn't gave anything to any beggars on street as to avoid any problem. But I did this time.

At the platform of Varanasi train station, I was targeted by an auto-rickshaw driver. He kept asking where I'm going where I stay and blah blah blah. He still followed me even I went into the tourists' ticket office room. In the room, there were many tourists booking tickets. I heard a man advised the other people to be careful to the rickshaw drivers, don't believe others easily and so on. How ironic it was. I was targeted at the moment. When I left the room, the man came again even I picked another driver to take me to Dasaswamedh Ghat. But he got on the auto-rickshaw as well! I did think all the drivers there were connected. On the way, they kept asking where I stay. I just picked a name and said I had already reserved a room. I just made a phone called shortly before. But they suddenly stopped the car and called the hostel! It made me mad here. I yelled at them and demanded them to take me somewhere near the ghat. So that the people from the hostel can pick me up. Dealing with these drivers was so difficult.

I was dropped off later. And, of course, no one picked me up as I didn't actually book anything. I walked towards the Ghat and tried to find a hostel. I nearly got lost as the signs on the streets were nearly none. A man approached to me and said he could help me. Definitely, he was coming to sell his tour service. I did reject him at the beginning. But I thought, at least, he could take me to a hostel. I could try to get rid of him later. I requested him to bring me to the hostel I preferred. Finally, I settled in a hostel. I asked the staff how could I send the guy away. The staff said they would handle it and told me not to worry. Oh! Thank God.

At night, I went to Dasaswamedh Ghat to see the Aarti. The whole ceremony was so impressive. I felt the richness of the Indian cultural. Really incredible. That day was the new year eve, the hostel owner invited the residents to join the dinner to celebrate. There were great food and some Indian music was played. At 12 o'clock, after the countdown, he shot off fireworks at the roof top!! Everybody was really enjoyed. Although there was a bit drizzling, the atmosphere was fantastic. This was also my first new year celebrated outside Hong Kong.

They do the aarti just EVERYDAY.

New year dinner.

Firework. My camera couldn't capture it well. But that's excellent if you were there.

Northern India Journey - Day 18 Allahabad - 30/12/2010

Without booking any hostel, I got off the train at 4 in the morning. Made a few phone calls, there was only one hostel picked up their phone. Arrived there, I went on to bad immediately. Finally, I got a sleep.

In the morning, I went to the railway station to book the ticket to Varanasi. The queue was long and there was only one counter serving. While waiting, the man in front of me told me that there was another ticket counter in the other side of the station. He said the waiting time would be long as the efficiency of the staff was very slow. But I said I had some time and could wait. He was a friendly person. He also asked me how to write his name in Chinese. As the time took too long, I left and went to another booking office.

After the lunch, I took an auto-rickshaw to Allahabad Fort. Next to the Fort that was a large area where the pilgrims gathered as there was a holy place for the Hindus. In the fort there was a temple there. When I went inside the security stopped me. He couldn't speak English but seemed like tourists were forbade to visit. So I went to Hanuman Temple. But the temple closed for lunch time which was a long lunch time. Then I went back to the fort to try to get inside again. This time the guard saw me again. He didn't let me in at the beginning. But he saw me really want to visit. He indicated me to put the camera inside the bag and didn't take any picture. I could go inside at the end. In the fort, I followed the local people to take off the shoes and go inside the temple. The temple located underneath the fort. There was really dark and the Hindu gods were everywhere. There were some people gave blessing to all pilgrims and asked for donations. That's an exceptional experience.

Allahabad Fort

Entry for the temple

Boat for visitors

Then I picked a very Indian way to went back to the main city. I took a big auto-rickshaw back to the city but with more than 10 people together. I sat at the front with the driver and 2 more passengers. Before I went back to Hostel, I went to Khusru Bagh to visit the royal tomb.

Northern India Journey - Day 17 In The Train - 29/12/2010

At 5am, the train eventually arrived at the station. Finally I could get a sleep. In the afternoon, I was awoken as the train was getting busy. People was selling all kind of food. The journey was long. I could only read book to kill time. Supposedly the train should arrive Allahabad at 2pm, then I thought the train should arrived there at 10pm due to the delay. When a staff passed by to check the ticket at 8pm, I asked him when would the train stopped there. He couldn't tell. However, an Indian sat at the side berth told me that we would arrive at 3 or 4am next day!! Oh No! The train also delayed on the way! I just couldn't believe. Meanwhile I started getting worried that how could I know which was the correct station when the train stopped at that time. Everyone should be sleeping, how could I ask. And there was no announcement in the train. Luckily, that Indian man told me he would also get off in Allahabad. He said he would told me at that time and would wake me up. He was so nice! So, I could sleep a bit that night.

The Platform. Everyone were desperately waiting for the train.

On the way to Allahabad.

Northern India Journey - Day 16 Jodhpur & Train Station - 28/12/2010

After a good sleep in the train, the train stopped at Jodhpur in the morning. I got off the because I needed to take another train to Varanasi. I, then, was going to wait for 4 hours for the next one in the station. However, I'd heard something about the train. The announcement was the train had been cancelled!! Oh No!! I went to the counter and asked the staff why the train was cancelled. But, as expected, he shook his head in their Indian way and said No. I was so frustrated that my plan was interrupted in such way. I could only ask for refund and went to the ticket centre to book another ticket. Another bad news was there was no place for the other train to Varanasi on the same day! But I didn't want to stay in Jodhpur for 1 more day. So, I decided to went to Allahabad. I didn't know that was the best solution. But that was what I could do in that situation.

As the next train would depart at 8pm, I had a whole afternoon in Jodhpur. I went to rent a room so that I could have a nap and a bath. Actually I did really need a bath. I hadn't had one since the day I joined the camel safari. Finished all these thing, I still had some time to kill. So I went out and prepared something for the next train. Coincidently I met the Hong Konger I met last time. After a chat and visited a temple together, we went separated and continued our own journey.

The temple wasn't mentioned in the travel book. But we thought that's interesting to visit.

I didn't know at what time I provoked the dogs in Jodhpur. When I walked on a street (the same one as last time I "met" the dogs), they came and barked at me again!! And one of them even tried to bit me. Suddenly, also very luckily, a man came to me and took it out off me. He also kicked the dog few times. He smiled at me and showed as if everything was alright and don't worry. That made me so unforgettable about this city.

In the evening, I went to the station to wait for the train. At 8, the train supposed arrival time, I didn't hear and announcement and there was nothing on the electric notice board. I asked the station officer about the train. He said the train would technically arrived in 10. Come on! Technically? What's meant by technically?! I could just wait and wait. At 10, again, nothing showed. I went to the counter and saw a white board. It wrote that my train would arrive at 5am!! It was so terrible. I needed to stay in the railway station overnight! Luckily, there was a waiting room so I didn't need to wait outside (That night was cold and even drizzling.). In the waiting room, I was the only traveller there. The man sat in front of me was really curious about me. I thought that was rare to see a Chinese in this situation. He asked me questions like how long I would visit India and so on. But, generally, he was very nice person. Then I slept as I saw people in the room slept. I thought that's meant there was safe.

Northern India Journey - Day 15 Jaisalmer - 27/12/2010

After enjoyed with a beautiful sunrise in the desert, we packed up everything and back to Jaisalmer. After we said goodbye to all the tour-mates, I went visiting by myself to Gadi Saga.

There were lots of people on that day.

After that, I went back to Jaisalmer Fort for Maharaja's Palace. The architecture was fantastic, you know a royal palace won't be disappointing. The great thing was you could see the whole view of Jaisalmer on the top of the palace. Especially, when you get there in sunset.

A show-piece in the museum.

In the night time, I met the Chinese couple again. That's great. We had a dinner together in the "Korean" hostel. And that's the last time a saw them in India. At night, I take a night train back to Jodhpur in order to catch another train to Varanasi.That was my first time to take 3AC class train in India. So much better than the sleeper on. Oh. I got a good night train.

Night view of the Jaisalmer Fort.

The train to Jodhpur

Northern India Journey - Day 14 Jaisalmer - 26/12/2010

We went to the hostel which organized the camel tour. The hostel was interesting. There were many Korean people stayed there and also offered many Korean food as well. We then realised that the Indian boss was married to a Korean woman and they started this business afterwards. When we waiting for the tour, we saw the Korean girl we met in the train. Coincidently they also joined the tour. We thought that must be fun.

Inside the jeep

In the tour the driver took us to visit Bada Bagh. That was a beautiful remains of a Indian royal garden. At the top, you could see many windmill far apart. Having heard that the windmill were built by the Indian army to provide electricity. In Bada Bagh, there were some Indian visitors. Some kid asked me to take picture with them. How funny.

Windmill in the desert

Picture with Indian kids

An hour later, we finally saw our camel! But my camel did not have the stirrup, it's a bit scary for my very first camel ride. Also, I'm so skinny that my ass was really painful in the ride. After an hour, we stopped next to a small pond and let the camel drank water.Then we went on an hour to have lunch in the desert. Which is very interesting to see the camel guides helping us to cook our lunch. The lunch were roti, potato and Korean kimchi!

Before the sunset, we were finally in Sam Sand Dunes. We were going to stay a night in the desert in a tank. The dinner was basic but really nice for us. You know, you can't expect you can get a big meal in a desert in such price. But we had extra ordered a chicken! Roasted chicken (without any sauce, though) in desert just like food from heaven, right? The other thing i enjoyed most was the clear starry sky at night. You could see the milky way when you looked up on the sky! For people from Hong Kong like me, would never have any chance to see something like that!! In our tour, there were a old Korean couple who brought the camera and tripod with them. They helped people to take pictures at night with the star. That's an excellence experience that day.

Sunset

Our Tank

Starry night.