That time I went to India – Part Three

It’s official, I’m terrible! It has now been five months since I left India and somehow I still haven’t finished this series about my adventure. I’m not sure why but every time I sit down to write another post I struggle to get the words out. I had the most amazing journey through India and came away with memories I couldn’t have dreamed of. But somehow getting this all out in a blog post is an impossible task. Being the stubborn girl I am we shall keep at it, no matter how long it takes me. Here is part three, where I wrap up my time in Nepal before heading to India and the madness that is Varanasi!

After exploring the jungle in Chitwan it was time to head to our final destination in Nepal which was Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Another wild ride and we made it to a small, tucked away resort which was to be home for our last night in this beautiful country. The Lumbini Buddha Garden was hidden down a winding driveway amongst the trees, we each had our own little cottage and my roomie & I were even lucky enough to be sharing our bathroom with a frog! As with most places in Nepal electricity was limited and hot water was a luxury we wouldn’t be having but aside from that it was a lovely place to spend the night.

Lumbini itself is a great stopping point on your way out of or into Nepal as it’s very close to the boarder, a night or two is definitely enough time to see all you need to though. For the temple lovers it’s a must as there are plenty of stunning Buddhist temples built by different countries around the world. Getting to visit the birthplace of Buddha was pretty amazing too!

After a day of exploring we were up bright and early ready to hit those crazy roads once more for what was to be a very long day of travelling. We headed off into the deep fog and after an hour of wondering if the driver could actually see where we were going we made it to the boarder, this in itself was an experience but after a few hours we were finally able to cross over into India. Nepal’s final goodbye to me involved a falling power line almost hitting me, the perfect goodbye really!

It doesn’t very long to realise that Indian drivers are in fact crazier on the roads than those Nepal. It was well after sunset when we finally reached Varanasi and i’m not going to lie, Varanasi was a complete shock to the system for me. This trip was my first major travelling experience so I had obviously never been anywhere quite like Varanasi and to be honest I don’t think anywhere I go will ever compare to the madness and beauty this city holds. The ancient history of Varanasi is apparent everywhere you go, from wandering through the bustling back alleyways and markets of the old city to floating along the Ganges River and witnessing cremation ceremonies on the ghats on the riverbanks.

Life in Varanasi is completely focused around the Ganges River and to make the most of this I recommend taking a river cruise at both sunrise and sunset as each are very different and hold different expereinces. During the morning the river is unbelievably serene, it’s almost hard to believe you’re in the middle of one of the most hectic cities in the world as you float down the river sipping on masala chai while watching the locals quietly beginning another day. Come sunset the river completely changes, thousands of people come out for the nightly ceremony which is loud, crazy and absolutely beautiful!

Some of my best travel memories are held in Varanasi and I would head straight back into all of that madness if I ever get the chance again. The Indian adventure doesn’t end here though, this was only the beginning! Stayed tuned for more, including my first overnight train experience.

Emma x

All photos my own ©