The Ganges

Up at 4:45 to get to the Ganges before sunrise. Our driver and guide picked us up, and we headed off firstly to the bathing ghats. Unfortunately, with all the rain, the river boats weren't operating so we didn't get the chance to float down the river and get some perspective on the scale of it all. However, it was really interesting seeing the candles float down the Ganges past the bathers.

Then on foot through the maze of lanes in the old city, dodging the cows and sleeping policemen with rifles, to the cremation ghats where we witnessed three cremations underway, supposedly at the most holy ghat.

Back into the winding lanes, past the cows, dogs and sleeping policemen to the main city Hindu temple. Had to leave everything in a clothing shop to get past the security checkpoint and frisking, but even then we weren't allowed inside. We could only glimpse the tops of the temple buildings over the wall.

Through the winding lanes again, until our car mysteriously appeared and took us back to the hotel for breakfast.

After checking out, it was down the road again past the spots where last night's floods were so deep, to the city temple with a huge model of the country and nearby areas built into the floor. It seems that the country's independence was plotted around this map.

Next stop was the main Muslim mosque inside the grounds of the world's largest university (by physical size) where we padded around in our socks, before heading off to the silk weaving factory/showroom. We had the usual demonstration, and then the obligatory sales pitch to find you something to purchase. For once, Mandy obliged.

Lunch was at the restaurant that we almost drowned trying to find for tea the night before.

Some down time back at the hotel, before being picked up at 4 to go to our overnight train to Agra. What a circus! Perhaps, if we were being kind, we could blame it on the confusion with the floods the previous day, but that's probably being charitable. Our poor guide had to hang around, and he materialised out of the crowd as every train arrived to apologise that it wasn't ours, and that we had been further delayed. However, it wasn't all bad. We had constant opportunities to buy bananas, shoes, belts, bangles, balloons, children's toys and ice creams, whilst dodging munching cows, and contributing to the welfare fund for a number of beggars.

Finally at 7:30, 3 hours late, a train pulled in, the guide nodded, and we hopped on. We had 2 sleeper berths in the corridor, with a curtain to shield us from the constant stream of humanity walking past us. Even so, it was reasonably comfortable if you can work out how to sleep soundly on a top bunk whilst clutching your pack.