One long week in India....

Last Monday when I last blogged we were just leaving to take the overnight train to Varanasi. I had just finished up my blog when I looked down at my watch. The computer time said 9:45...but my watch (the real time) said 10:37!! We had a train to catch at 11:30 and we were NO WHERE near our hotel which is where our bags were. We both jumpped up from the Internet cafe...sprinted outside, only to find that rickshaws could only drive in certain areas at certain times (of course!!)- and towards our hotel was not one of those areas. So, we did the only logical thing and started running. First off, not many people jog in India. Second, not many people jog with day packs on. Third, if they do jog- it is not at 10:30 at night. But we had no choice. The BEST part about it is while jogging people still tried to sell us items...my personal favorite being a snow globe with the Taj Mahal floating in it! Now....does anyone who is running need a Taj Mahal snow globe? Better question....does ANYONE need a Taj Mahal snow globe?!!

We did the unthinkable and at the first opportunity flagged down a motorcycle and asked for a ride. He was a very nice guy and let us both jump on the back to drive us to our hotel. Believe me....I was shouting in Ang's ear that our parents would be VERY unimpressed with this move- but we had no other option. We got our backpacks and headed out to find a rickshaw to the train station. When is the only time that you can't find a rickshaw in India? Just when you actually need one at 10: 50 p.m. Finally, someone called their cousin and we were off. We made it to the train on time- negotiated for seats/beds that were together in the same berth and even met a wonderful couple on the train! We commiserated  about how terrible the train was - while giggling at the people snoring like bears.

We arrived in Varanasi around noon the next day. Varanasi is the strangest place I've ever been. It is absolutely the most 'hard core" place in India we have visited- the dirtiest, the most crowded, requires the most negotiation....the list goes on. It was India times 20!
There were lots of strange parts about it- however, the strangest part for me was that everything I had read about it actually happened.  Our guide book describes perfectly what you should experience- and we did. Varanasi is a very spiritual place for many and as I mentioned earlier it is where many people make their last pilgrimage to die. It is very auspicious place to be creamated. But for me, the spirituality was lost amongst all of the other Indian chaos and I couldn't quite get the spiritual feel. Surreal- yes. Spiritual- no.

We walked down onto one of the ghats (waterfront) in the evening. It happened to be a burning ghat where people were cremated. Within minutes, a man was trying to scam us into buying wood to help poor families who couldn't afford enough wood to cover their family members while they were cremated. We had read about this scam and didn't participate. He also said that his family sifted through the ashes and found rings/gold/jewlery from the cremated remains to donate to the poor. He is saying all of this, waiving around a hand with rings on every finger! Also within moments of being on the ghat- an actual body was being carried down the steps to the water to be cremated on the side. I was shocked and didn't even know how to respond. Here we were experiencing something that is so sacred and personal- it felt like we shouldn't be watching. Although the entire Indian life went on around it. Kids jumped into the water- doing cannonballs and other tricks. People sold water and other goods. People chatted with their friends. All at the same time that a family carried the body of their loved one down to the water to be cremated. It was a very surreal experience.

I'm sure having my dad's funeral so fresh in my mind also effected me significantly. Losing a parent is such a personal experience that I felt really strange being "in" their experience. I've missed my dad throughout the entire trip- but this really brought it home and my heart ached. The next morning we took a boat ride to see the morning life on various ghats- people were bathing or doing various spiritual rituals. The boat also stopped at another burning ghat and I thought I may have a panic attack as the wind blew and ashes were flying everywhere. It just seemed impersonal and surreal- but I had to keep reminding myself that this was considered very lucky and holy to be burned in Varanasi. Again, there was time for me to be thankful for all of the blessings in my life.

On a lighter note...I also had my worst fear in all of India come true in Varanasi. Since being in Varanasi, neither Ang or I were feeling the best. But as we were leaving breakfast one morning and winding through the dark alleys of Varanasi---I started to feel really sick. I KNEW that I had to find a bathroom quick- and panic set in. My worst fear in India is needing to use the restroom and not being able to find one! We were winding through the alley's and eventually found a restaurant- I sprinted up the stairs and Ang followed. I'm sure everyone was wondering why the urgency...but believe me- it was urgent! I went into the restroom only to realize that I had double knotted the draw string of my pants and could not get them untied. After some struggle,  I threw open the bathroom door and asked Ang to help. We soon realized there was NO way we were going to get them untied. So, I requested the only logical tool. "Ang- get a knife" And within seconds, my best friend in the world...(because you only do this stuff for best friends)- sprinted into the kitchen of a back alley restaurant, returned with a serrated butchers knife and promptly cut the draw string of my pants. That's how you do it in India.

We took a plane yesterday from Varanasi to Armistar. More on Armistar later!