The most noticeable thing about entering India from Nepal was the space. No longer hemmed in by mountains, it was refreshing to feel the vast plains of northern India stretch out for miles into the distance. The journey from Sunauli, at the border, to Varanasi was interrupted by a fight between the driver of my jeep and some random guy on the street, at which point I opted for the bus. I had a LONG wait at Gorakpur train station, with a terrible stomach. All my options running out fast, I had my first experience of the great Indian toilet. FUCK ME. Not filthy, oh no, there was a fair bit of white tile to be seen...Amongst the 50 or so cockroaches scuttling around the floor! Euch.
Well, I arrived exhausted and worse for wear in Varanasi, meaning an inactive day spent reading, waiting for a room, and admiring the view of the Ganges from the hotel.
The next day I felt fine and explored the river. I still find it hard to believe I spent about two hours watching a cremation that day. Manikarnika Ghat is the most sacred place for a Hindu to be burned, as such about 100 unfortunate souls are cremated there daily, and it's perfectly OK to watch, although no photos may be taken. There are enormous piles of wood from which smaller piles are made, then the corpse, which has been carried through the streets and dipped in the river is placed on top, covered with a few pieces of wood, and burned. The body is swathed in cloth but this soon burns, and if you stay there long enough you can see the body turn black, disintegrate, and get unceremoniously whacked about by a guy with a stick. No women are allowed to be present, although random cows, goats and goggle-eyed foreigners, it seems, are fine. It's quite an experience.
The old city of Varanasi is very nice, with lots of windy, narrow streets, outrageous colours and stalls crammed into every available spot. Whilst the hawkers here are nothing like as hostile as in Kathmandu, I have managed to pick up some useful Indo-English phrases with a double, hidden meaning :
"Namaste sir, looking looking" - Get your rich behind in here, whitey.
"I give you good price" - I'm charging you 6 times the going rate
"I help you, we brothers my friend" (esp. rickshaw drivers) - I'm expecting a hefty tip
"No change" - I'm screwing you
"Morning my friend, you which country, my friend?" - Do you want to buy pot?
Next stop Delhi, for more craziness!
