Country Inn & Suites Katra

I woke up quite early to speak to Rita on Skype but as soon as we finished I went back to bed. The guys came to get me at around 12.30. We had a drink at the hotel and then went for a swim at the hotel swimming-pool. It was nice to spend the afternoon chilling.<br><br>The girls and I decided to go for some food while the guys stayed in the swimming pool. During that time, Momo got to talking to a French guy who was there and he was from Billé and had played for Bill ...

Jai Mata Di...<br><br> Finally we come down......to climb up and down 15 Km is challenging.<br><br> We started our journey on 20th Sept from Jaladhar in a bus 9.30 pm and reached Katra at 4:30 am in the morning. We got a shock to see a 2km line of people standing to get the pass from the Shrine board at start their journey. We were told that first we will have to take a waiting ticket and the next day a confirm ticket will be issued to us to start out climb ...

... the property but we did not have time to see it. The exhibit had a great timeline on the Nehru Dynasty and provided a lot of historical information about Nehru's legacy. We tried to get go see the meeting point of the two holy rivers along with a nearby fort and temple but by the time our rickshaw drivers figured out where to go (they always say they know even if they don't) we had to turn around and get back so we could take a taxi to Varanasi. At least we got to see a little of Allahabad.

... the mountain 'here's the top, no not really trick' (that the standard indian storekeeper has his own variation of with prices to tourists). Plenty of chai and biscuits were ingested at the top accompanied as ever by efforts to pull, tweak, squeeze, prod, bend, spin, buzz, whir, rip or click everything and anything on our vehicles from outer space. Oh and my back wheel came a little bit off. Must remember to not let that happen. Ho-hum. (Won't do it again Mum). Tim

... or amrita. During a flood, the nectar was lost into the ocean. Vishnu became the avatar Kurma, a tortoise, upon whose back was Mount Mandara. Kurma descended into the ocean, as everyone understood the importance of retrieving the nectar. Vasuki, a serpent, entwined himself around the mountain and the gods and demons, on each side like a tug-of-war, began to pull back and forth, churning the oceans until the elixir came to the surface, captured in a pitcher. A poison, halahala ...

... Since we last wrote we have been to Khujarho, Panna National Park, Allahabad and Varanasi. In Khurajarho is where the karma sutra is carved out onto the walls of some Hindu temples. Very interesting. At Panna National Park we had a nice quite day. Went on a tiger safari again, but only saw some deer, a little mini gazelle thing, and a crocodile (a big one!). Then we travelled to Allahabad, which I wouldn't have minded having more time at. The city was a little more modern than ...

Not sure where I am actually on the map right now, writing from Allahabad, India. Left Chitakrut this am...another small very holy village in India. One of the branches of the Ganges runs through this town so there were many ghats and holy happenings here. We did a walking pilgrimage or circumambulation in town yesterday evening which according to our leader, was the equivalent of Muslims going to Mecca. We took an evening boat ride ...

... Makes me want to learn more about how India gained Independence from Brittan in the 40's and the decision to partition Pakistan from India--all I know about the time period is from my Lonely Planet guide and from watching "Gandhi!"

... and bathing in the holy water of this magnificent river - but everyone seems to accept this now. Hundreds of tourists. This afternoon we will visit the "Chowk" or market area but it will not be very comfortable for us. We are just walking dollars in this type of area.

... flow flowers, ashes of the dead, etc. What I was impressed most in Varanasi was the peaceful sight of Ganga in the rising sun. Though I'm not a Hindu, I felt calm on a small boat being part of the holy sight. But in the daytime, people changed awfully. When I walked down to Ganga by myself, I had to go through thousands of beggars, struggle with sellers who insistently pressed things that I ...