Coming back from Agra, I had time to kill (about 7 hours) until my train to Varnasi. Seeing most of what Delhi has to offer, I decided to walk around the station, walk through the main bazaar, and check out the CP (Connaught Place). CP is basically a huge shopping/business area that looks like a circle on the map. It's a popular place for tourists and locals since its a lot like an outdoor mall.
Shakti: C’mooooooonnnnn
As I walked through the main bazaar and towards CP, I was caught by a red light. Waiting to cross, I realized a boy was looking at me. He said “Japan? Konichiwa. I like Japan!”. Oh dear here we go again, I thought. I told him “REALLY? Let me guess, you have a friend in Tokyo, and his name is Yushi? Congrats, you’re the 10th one today”. He didn’t get my sarcasm, so I just continued walking.
Couple minutes later another boy approached me. Shakti. This time I decided to try to trust these Japan-loving-Yushi’s friend-boys and see how things go. I just had to make sure not to pay money in the end, simple. First he took me to where I wanted to go (Citibank), then he said he had time so he took me to this famous tea shop. I was forced to try different ones and had to sit through long explanations of how great the tea is. I kept saying no (because I already bought tea for souvenieurs), and after 30-40 minutes I was released. Hey, I got to try like 8 different teas, for free!
Then Shakti took me to a small café and treated me chai. I was honestly surprised by this (but looking back it may have been his strategy to get gain my trust..). Then he took me to another shop that supposedly all Japanese tourists like. He didn’t follow me into the shop because he had to call his girlfriend. By this time I was enjoying the fact that these people actually believe I’m just another dumb, rich tourist. By the way, the workers in this mall also used “mirudake” in every other sentence. Having had enough, I fought my way through store clerks and went outside, where I saw Shakti just chilling and talking to someone else (at this time I was sure that he sent me in there alone on purpose).
Enough of this topic. So in the end, he asked me if I was happy (he probably meant “are you happy with my service?”). So I said yes since he took me to places and treated me to chai. Then he asked me to buy him a textbook for his English class in return. “….No”. I thought in my head “C’moooooonnnnnnnnnnnnn” because I was disappointed in not being able to trust anyone. Why won’t they let me trust them? Not a single person has actually helped me or talked to me out of pure goodness. Seriously, c’mon.
Thank god for MNC
By MNC (Multinational Corporations), in this case I strictly mean McDonalds. India doesn’t have Subways, Burger Kings, or Subways, but it does have ‘em golden archs (aka backpacker’s heaven in India). McDonalds has its issues and I’m not the biggest customer, but the brand and familiarity gave me a feeling of comfort and trust. I walked in, ordered a large coke, and as I looked around I realized that there were several other backpackers like myself. I talked to a Swedish couple who was backpacking for 2 months, and they told me some useful advice for the next city I was going to (Varnasi).
Where the hell is 2A?
The title explains itself. Once again I couldn’t find the right couch on my train. I asked the worker and he told me to go in the front, but when the train actually came the couch wasn’t 2A. I asked another worker and he told me that it's the last couch, so I had to run back across the platform. Good thing the train doesn’t leave on time, or else I would have been stuck in Delhi..
Backpackers
I don’t know if its true for all backpackers, or if its just me being exhausted by constantly being lied to by the local people, but all backpackers I’ve met so far have been really good people. Again, I don’t know if that's actually the case or if its me being biased. On the ride from New Delhi to Varnasi, I met a French backpacker and a Japanese backpacker. Both were great people and I spent most of the 18 hour ride talking to them (it was supposed to be a 13 hour ride but it was delayed). Heard some crazy stories from the Frenchman. A true backpacker.
That's it, I give up
Arriving at Varnasi Station at 10:30 (scheduled for 5:30am), I decided to walk to the Ganges River since I had time (and also because of my hatred towards being treated at “easy” target by Rickshaw drivers). However that meant I had to ask for directions from time to time. Needless to say, I was told false directions almost every single time. I finally realized that I was going the opposite way when after 2 hours a military official told me that I was about 2 hours away (it was initially supposed to only take me 1.5 hours). Honestly, its almost obvious to me now when people are lying (because it’s every time), but the street itself if too confusing for finding my way through just by guessing. I don’t see why they can’t just help. I don’t see the benefit in them lying. I think it's a waste that even kids are taught to treat foreigners like this. I’m sorry India, I think I lost trust in you.
“Excuse me! Wait!”
After 4 hours of wondering through the city of Varnasi (in the 43 degree heat), my legs slowly started to give up on me. Seriously, how hard can it be to find a huge river? Turns out that its so hard that without a tour guide, rarely can foreigners get to it.
Sitting down on the sidewalk, half broken hearted, I saw two backpackers. That's when I yelled and ran up to them, and asked me how to get the river. Turns out that they finally figured out the route and they were on their way. Yes..
So after walking through back alleys and small paths for about 10 minutes, we finally see the famous Ganges River. Too tired to fully understand the significance of what was in front of me, I then looked for my hotel.
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Hotel Alka
There’s so much to write.. but I should do this for my own record. I stayed at Alka Hotel. The Swedish couple recommended this hotel so I decided that it should be worth taking a shot rather than picking out a random one. As they told me, the hotel was nice. Probably better than many other ones in the area. I stayed in the cheapest room (400 Rupees) but still had a decent view of the river. There was also a roof-top restaurant and computers with internet (though it froze on me). I guess the location made up for most of its flaws.
Fight? Bring it
I’m slowly starting to have fun messing with beggers and tour offerers. On the Ganges river, there are numerous ghats. Many people often visit the Dashashwamedh Ghat, which is one of the main ghats on the riverside and often where tourists come first. Here, it is okay to take pictures and surprisingly, its rather an open atmosphere. Couple ghats down there is the Manikamika Ghat, and this is where things get a bit more tense. This is where bodies are burnt and turned into ashes. Smokes are seen here non-stop for 24 hours. Being a very sacred place, it is prohibited to take pictures here. I’m not sure if that is the case by law, but people will definitely come asking you for money if you do. That's exactly what happened to me.
This one kid was following me from the moment I stepped out of the hotel. Probably for 30 minutes in total. Come to think of it, he was probably trying to make me go to Manikamika Ghat and waiting for me to take a picture. I took a picture anyway, and I thought I could get away with it because I was still far from the ghat, but I was wrong. Within 2 seconds, the kid who followed me there and 4 other kids ran up to me and got in my face, telling me to pay money or else they will call the police. They also threatened me that god will kill me. I’d like to refute their argument. First, police officers can’t hold custody without any proof, and so in this case the 5 boys will have the burden to prove that I broke the law (and taking a picture doesn’t go against any law, so I’d have the upper hand). Second, I don’t believe in god. Third, I’m not big, but I could have still whooped them. So again, I can’t believe how well I understand these people now. Please be careful if anyone goes to the Ganges.
Anyway, I thought about seeing the Manikamika Ghat by boat in order to avoid seeing the 5 boys again (though it would cost money). So I was just walking around my hotel, waiting for someone to offer me a ride. It didn’t take long, a boy came from behind and said “Konichiwa, 100 Rupees?”. I turned around and was just about to say “okay”, until I realized that it was one of the 5 boys from earlier. Shiiiiiiet, so I gave up the boat ride until tomorrow monrning.
Ghaats
Other than being threatened and having to explain why they shouldn’t call the police, the river was amazing. I woke up at 5am next morning to see the sunrise from a boat. By the time I got out of the hotel around 5:10, there were already people outside, some of them in the river, some looking for tourist customers. A boy approached me and offered me a ride for 200 Rupees. Its more expensive to ride in the morning than night because there are less customers in the morning, and sometimes the boat doesn’t even fill up so each person has to pay more. It’s not rare for there to be only one customer on the boat. That was my case. It was just me and the boy (actually, he was 19 years old). I personally enjoy talking to kids my age because 1. The more you can relate to them, the harder it becomes for them to lie to you, and 2. Adults can be intimidating, but kids the same age, I can probably handle.
Anyway, the boat ride was good and I bought him chai at the end as a tip. I also wanted to thank him for letting me actually…whatever its called to control the boat. m
Off to Varnasi Airport
After the boat ride it was only 7am. Still enough time until I head to the airport at 9:30. After all the trouble yesterday getting to river, I wasn’t going to try getting out of here, and to the airport. The hotel offered me a ride to the airport for 550 Rupees. I’ll take it.
So until 9:30 I took a shower and chilled on the rooftop. I had mango lassi (which sounds very India-like), but it wasn’t cold at all and wasn’t that good. It's just the matter of attitude of workers in India. They really don’t care.
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