Trials, tribulations & temples in India

As with all adventures there are ups and downs, and one major downer was finding out that political tensions in the Darjeeling area of India meant strikes and imminent road closures on our intended route into the Sikkim area.  But it is all part of an extended overland journey, and after staying an extra night in Janakpur to finalise our new itinerary, we then headed for a different border crossing from Nepal into India.  The border crossing can only be described as an immediate culture shock to the system!  Border crossing officials take our passport and visa information and carefully and slowly enter this into massive notebooks, to be filed away and kept in the dusty shelves of the office (will they ever be looked at again?).

Border from Nepal into India

After a night in the border town (as with all border towns, one night is plenty!) we make our way to Patna, the closest destination to put us on a good route to Varanasi.  Crew are advised to stick to 200km drive days and we quickly understand why.  Not only are the roads full of potholes and invisible speed bumps but they are also scattered with cows, goats, humans, bikes, scooters, motorbikes and tuk tuks, which makes progress slow, to say the least.  Thankfully our hotel in Patna was pleasant and had a great restaurant on the floor beneath or for those so inclined a Dominoes pizza which was just down the road.

From here we head to Varanasi, and in a tragic bout of optimism crew believed the drive day would be shorter and easier.  We were terribly mistaken.  Although we had now made it on to the highway which meant smooth fast road we were leaving one state border and entering another which meant lots of traffic and queues of trucks.  Trying to get information from fellow truck drivers was difficult and what information we were getting was at times incorrect.  We sat in line while ice cream vendors passed us by, overcharging for their wares and watch as other vehicles drive past us going the wrong way up the dual carriageway.  “Can we do that?!” A previous mishap where we read the confusing road signs wrong had meant that earlier in the day we were driving the wrong way of a one way system, so to do that again with a truck full of people was not a decision we were going to make easily or quickly!  We eventually found a English speaking truck driver who convinced us that this was ok so, when in Rome, or rather, when in India, road rules go out the window, do as the locals do!

Truck lunch draws a crowd

In fact, crowds gather wherever Calypso goes

Broken bridge

Varanasi is one of the holiest places in India for Hindus, and to experience the spirituality of the town and the importance of “Mother” Ganges, we take an early morning tuk tuk trip to the Ganges where we hoped to get on a boat and watch the sunrise over the river.  We were warned before we left that the river was flowing fast and high this time of year so many boats were not leaving the docks.  Our tuk tuk guide informed us that we would be able to get on a motor boat and lead us on a merry walk through narrow streets and alley ways lined with cows and sleeping people to where the boats were supposedly leaving.  When we arrive the situation has suddenly changed and motorboats are no longer leaving, but wooden paddle boats are which no one dares enter.  At this point we just want to have a good view of the Ganges so we are lead out of the narrow streets to where we will get a good view and end up at the place where the cremations happen.  We also visit a number of temples (falling victim to the extortion of having to buy your own shoes back after leaving them outside the temple as required!), including the monkey temple where we see tiny baby monkeys and their protective and vicious mothers, one of which tried to start a fight with Jo.  Both parties walked away unscathed but for a moment I was worried about the monkey…

Andy, Julie & Spike

Jo, Mahala & Jim

Boats on the Ganges

Kanwaris collecting holy water

The Ganges

Durga Temple

Jo at the ghats

Cheeky monkey - what you looking at?

Dav's birthday celebrations

From Varanasi, many of the group decided to head to Agra to see the Taj Mahal before rejoining us in Kolkata, while the others continued with the truck on our journey towards Kolkata.  For the truck group, the next stop was Bodhygaya, the birthplace of Buddhism.  We are all excited about seeing the Bodhi tree where Buddha achieved enlightenment and spending a day in nearby Rajgir to ride the ropeway and see ancient ruins and stupas.  It’s a lovely place to stop, it has the feel of a small town and (if you can get away with avoiding the monk school scam!) it is pleasant and hassle-free part of India.

Big Buddha at Bodhgaya

Jo at the Big Buddha

Mahabodi Temple

Jo on the cable car ropeway

Mary

Spike

Andy

From Bodhgaya we have a couple of shorter drive days on the Grand Trunk Highway, and then we arrive into Kolkata where we manage to navigate our way to the hotel with little hassle, as road signs are now helpfully present!

Preparations for Independence Day

On the truck

Tour of Nalanda Ruins

Phill, Simon, Warren, Spike, Andy, Mary, Jo & Yvonne at the Vishwa Shanti Stupa

Warren

While crew park up the truck and prepare her for another journey, the group explore Kolkata.  A walking tour to see the Victoria Memorial, Mother Teresa’s house among other wonderful sights are all on the agenda as well as afternoon tea and a leaving do for Warren, who also leaves us in Kolkata to visit other wild and wonderful parts of India before heading home to start another trip in Africa.

Jo at the Victoria & Albert Memorial Building

St Andrews Scottish church

Colonial BBD Bagh area

European entertaining house

Flower market

It’s a momentous point in our journey; people have left and returned, we leave Calypso behind and we move forward to take off into the skies from Kolkata to Bangkok, Thailand where we continue our journey on trains, buses, boats and the odd tuk tuk here and there!