Agra - make it a small pit stop!

I felt at peace! Was this the Varanasi effect?

I arrived 2 hours early, I wait patiently at Varanasi train

station gently nodding in our of sleep while watching other passengers calmly letting time pass. Trains were delayed - I couldn't tell if it was by minutes or hours. I wasn't too bothered mine was still on time. 

Other than a platform change at the last minute I found my carriage. An upgrade from my last journey. A 4-berth cabin. The carriage was pretty empty. The steward arranged my sheets and pillows then demanded money - I was bewildered - money money!

 

I fell straight to sleep and only woke at 6am when another passenger boarded my berth. I rolled over and slept further, my alarm rang at 7am to prepare me for my arrival in Agra at 7.30am. 8.30 came and I began to get nervous - were we that delayed? My fellow passenger woke at 9.30am and explained the train had been delayed 2 hours when she boarded - and was delayed by a further hour. We exchanged chitchat (it’s amazing how you pick up this word in India) and she advised me for the next hour until we finally rolled into Agra Fort.

 

Touts were awaiting me - I knew this beforehand but this would be the start of my dislike for Agra. They knew how to spin tourists. They hassle beyond hassle, walking with you the entire way waiting for you to give in. 

I made a wrong decision - bartered and took a rickshaw driver with a bad personality. Hotel bound we then fixed a day rate deal - big mistake number two! It would have been cheaper for separate rides and more at my own pace! 

First stop - Taj Mahal. 750R entry, no cigarettes nor video cameras allowed! Screwed again on both counts. The sky was hazy, thick with pollution, so the backdrop was not a stunning Rio blue. The Taj is terrific and worth the visit.

Next stop - Agra Fort, this is very impressive and worth spending about 2 hours whiling around. Fantastic architecture, fine design and brilliant views of the Taj. 

Finally I wanted to walk Taj Ganj for sunset, so I found a rooftop terrace enjoyed a Lassie ( a local milkshake type drink) whilst I chatted to a German traveller, then I moved to another rooftop for nighttime photography and dinner while chatting to yet another German traveller.

My night was done and having ended my tour with my rickshaw driver earlier, I negotiated a deal that was half the rate to get to my hotel. Typical

That was my time in Agra done! 

Varanasi, India - celebrating Holi

Happy Holi - the children chime as I pass in the street.

Happy Holi - the adults greet with enthusiasm and grabbing your hand to shake, smiling all the while.

And this is 2 days before the festival. 

Holi is full of colour and appears to be a cross between Christmas and Halloween and Bonfire Night all thrown together. It's about family, friends, community, welcoming outsiders, religion, colour, happiness, and a lot of face paint. I had been warned in Varanasi that it is the most vibrant place to experience Holi - and potentially aggressive.

The day before celebrations kicked off, I purchased a cream linen top to make the most of the impending colour. Whilst walking the alleyways children approached me hands-clapsed with coloured powder decorating my face and dusting my hair. These vibrant blues, greens, reds, pinks, purples are aluminous.

By nightfall the parties commenced, by 10pm it was time for me to call it a night. Most the men were stoned or drunk and the party was getting a little out of hand for my liking. So I looked forward to an early start of the next day’s festivities.

Early on Holi the event starts wet! No more dry powder, it's now become coloured water bombs, water pistols filled and barrels line the streets containing buckets of colour. I set off, as midday approaches I was advised to stay away, this is when the adults become a little drunk, stoned and overly excited. But In my experience walking alone is not safe! Try to avoid it at all costs.

I walked a long the Ghats and was colour-attacked several times by young children, to me this seemed reasonably quiet. Becoming brave, I decided to head into the alleyways - here it was calm and infact rather empty. Hidden in some corners were children ready for attack. I headed for the Main Street for the sunlight and feel more secure, I didn’t need any more hidden colour-attacks. It was eerie, some people gathered in the streets and children played. I walked, taking it all in - no cars, no bikes, no rickhaws, nothing - just people! The hectic markets of the day before had vanished. It was like 28 Days Later, or visiting London during Christmas Day. Then suddenly, from out of nowhere a group of 20 kids start throwing paint bombs at me and firing cannons of coloured water. At this point, I ran and escaped, just a few hundred feet later  to encounter a group of 15 teenagers charging towards me. Suddenly my fear envelops me, they are not just firing coloured bombs this time but also aggressively demanding money, pushing me into a corner and touching up my pockets.  Sense of survival prevailed, as I ran to escape, losing my treasured Vietnam cap in the instance.

At this point it was time to turn back. I headed to return to the Sahi Riverview Guesthouse, I didn't feel safe, I felt alone, I felt vulnerable.

On returning to the guesthouse I met a group of pristine white tourists ready to head out. I warned them of the dangers as they excitedly invited me along, not one to be out done and the option of being part of a pack of 5 made the prospect more appealing.

That was it! 5 against the world…well not quite. It was time to Rock! Holi. We had a wicked time - exploring the city, becoming absolutely soaked to the bone in colour staining our bodies with reds, purples greens and yellows. We danced with holy men, and partied with the locals, and you could easily feel the mood of the atmosphere change as more of the men became aggressive. Being sensible we all concurred to head back to the hotel to shower and attempt to remove this dye from our bodies.

20 minutes of scrubbing and I still have colour stained on my skin - purple back, pink neck, red eyebrows, purple finger nails, yellow calves. I give up and sit in the sun to dry . 

Lunch at Lotus Lounge and we then set out across the now quiet neighbourhood of Varanasi - much is closed and it’s suddenly a different city again - a peaceful place. By 5pm we wander the alleyways coming across families emerging from afternoon religious ceremonies; all clean, wearing their pressed “Sunday finest”. It's a different world to the mess we were confronted by earlier in the day.

We make our way to Lotus Lounge, a rooftop overlooking the Ganges. Here we watch sunset and dine lounging on cushions and exchanging friendly banter. I then head back to the guesthouse to for a taxi to catch my train to Agra.

Kolkata to Varanasi

The driver lugged my backpack to the entrance of Howarth train station, the entrance was bursting at the seams as travellers fought their way in and out. Stepping over bodies of people casually waiting for tickets, I made my way into the huge waiting area, groups of Indians scattered around huge mountains of luggage - announcements shrieking over the tirade of chitter-chatter of patiently waiting passengers. The time was 5.30pm, my train departed at 7.10pm, I had time to kill!

 

Taking a seat I watched couples engrossed in conversation. Mothers trying to control their children and men trying to capture the attention - and affection - of lone women travellers. My train, number 13005 arrived - it was time to board. Making my way to the platform I fought the hundredss if not thousands of other passengers trying to grab their seat. I was booked, I has a reserved space (but only at last minute having been a little unaware how much in advance you need to book trains in India – 4 weeks!!!) my second class air conditioned sleeper carriage was awaiting me on coach B1. 

India has one of the largest train networks perhaps, only second to china, originally built by the British – and by all accounts very little has been added since the Brits colonial rule. Spanning the width and breadth of the country it is one of the most efficient ways to travel - my tickets - R850 - just over £10 for a 14-hour journey. Not bad at all!

In the section where I was positioned their were six beds, I crammed my six foot frame into the Top bunk that barely fitted within the confines of the bed. I spoke to a Chinese traveler and a local Indian before falling into a deep sleep. 7am I woke. How I managed a 10 hour-kip is beyond me…especially on a train.

The train pulled into Varanasi at 9.17am - just 5minutes delayed having traveled over 500km. Well done India! (I can travel only 13 minutes, one stop in London and be over 7 minutes delayed…at least this is one habit I see the Indian’s managed to shrug off from the British – but this is my first trip afterall).

Varanasi station was bustling but much calmer than Kolkata. A tout tried to encourage me to travel by motor tuk -uk with him. You need to be careful here, they will try to take you where you don't want to go. Fortunately, I had booked the Sahi River View Guest House in advance having read praise in Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor. 

I attended the tourist information desk at the station who confirmed the hotel booking by phone for me and then arranged a tuk-tuk to take me there. R150 - sure I overpaid but at less than £2 I wasn't complaining, it turned out to be a 20minute ride through the town.

It was a hive of activity. Markets strewn across streets, cows meandering at their own free will - feeding on food & trash - dogs slept in the shade. The smells kept changing: flowers, fruit, feces, piss, herbs and spices. Rubbish sprawled the sidewalks as children made their way to school. 

So this is Varanasi? 

This is what I've read! And what's expected! Time to explore! 

Packing - backpacking. A cycle trip through Vietnam

Packing is probably the most exciting part of preparing for any trip - but it can sometimes seem the most difficult. Deciding what can take can take hours. While preparing for my cycle trip through Vietnam I had to think long and hard of what I would need, especially as I am heading to a part of the world I have never visited before. What I have chosen maybe wrong, but I won't know until I get there. However based on my backpacking experience and reading into the conditions of Vietnam at this time of year I am pretty prepared. 

Not only have I packed the essentials (you know, the underwear, socks, deodrant, soap, tooth brush, change of shorts and t-shirts) but I have also bought some exciting new accessories. 

However how do you approach packing? This is my little guide:

1. Open all drawers and wardrobes, I have a bag I store all my holiday gear, this makes it quicker and more simple

2. Get your track sac - which luggage is going to be best for your trip?

3. Pull out the neccessities and lay them on a floor or bed, think being back in cubs/scouts for the weekly "Kit inspection"

4. Choose all the clothes you'd like to take

5. Write a list

6. Check your list

7. Double check how much you are taking - do you need that many t-shirts and shorts? OR can you wash some in the sink on the way?

 

8. Packing itself, everything you need immediately should be at the top and that you don't think you need at the bottom, my sac (as pictured) is mixed - I packed some t-shirts, then shorts, then t-shirts then shorts again, saves having to empty the whole back

9. Make sure you have room to buy new things while travelling

10. Check the weight.

ITEMS PACKED FOR MY TRIP: 2 trainers, 1 Havana flip flops, 8 pairs of underwear and ankle socks, 7 t-shirts/vest, 4 shorts, 2 cycle shorts, 1 helmet, 2 sun caps, mosquito sweater, sweater, mosquito net, face mosquito net, cycle top, waterproof, umbrella, 3 long light trousers, first aid kit, 2 shirts, hidden money pouch.

Suppliers: Evans Cycles, Craghopper, Cycle Clothing, Trail Finders, Blacks