Tigers and cremations

Ok where were we...
Longest train journey so far took us from Mumbai to Jabalpur which fully deserves to receive my 'Worst City visited so far in India' award. Fortunately we were only there for one night. But one night was long enough for me to be bitten to pieces by bed bugs. And I still have the scars. Anyway, I think it was all worth it because the next day we headed for Bandhavgarh National Park for safari o'clock. And that was amazing.
There are lots of National Parks in India but we went for Bandhavgarh because Lonely Planet claimed it was virtually impossible not to spot tigers there. And for once, LP were definitely 100% right. Four tigers spotted in all and they were absolutely beautiful. So stealthy and majestic and lovely and cuddly looking. But still got butterflies when they came strolling right past our jeep! There wasn't much else wildlife in the park, its all geared up for tiger spotting but there were lots of nice birds and deer and all that sort of stuff. Some lovely peacocks too (it would seem I've got over the crippling peacock fear thats been haunting me since I was a tot)
Next was Varanasi. Now it took me a while to fully appreciate and get to like Varanasi but after a few days we both loved it. Thats not to say that its not a dirty smelly city with more hassle than you can shake a hassle stick at  but it was all totally worth it. Sitting by the Ganges, Varanasi is considered by Hindus to be one of the most holy places in India. Thousands of pilgrims flock to the city every year, and it is held that dying in the city releases a person's soul from the cycle of reincarnation. The old city is flanked by ghats where people play cricket, bathe, do their laundry, chase water buffalo, cremate their dead. Everything goes on by the river!
Our guest house was down by the city's largest burning ghat, a 24 hour cremation site where hundreds of bodies are burnt daily. They're carried through the old city's winding alleyways on bamboo stretchers and laid to rest by the holy river. More than once we were nearly knocked down by these! The city was like nothing I've ever seen before, it's really hard to find the words to describe it. We took a couple of lovely boat rides down the Ganges, watched the cremation ceremonies, got hassled by a million different people to buy their silk. Its all go in Varanasi.
We ended up staying longer than planned as I got sick at the end of the first week. Nothing like a bit of Delhi belly to stop you in your tracks. Only lasted a few days but it took it out of me quite badly so we ended up staying just over two weeks in Varanasi. Much longer than anticipated and by the end we were itching to leave. But twas all worth it because we ended up in Nepal. Which is where our adventure is happening right now!

Everything since Hampi

Sorry for the delay! We've both been a bit rubbish with the internet so big apologies. Now I'll try to remember everything we've done in the last few weeks...
Hampi was absolutely amazing so it was a real shame to leave but it was just getting too hot and unbearable so we went back to Goa for a few more days of sun and sea and lazing. Decided to go up north this time and headed to Arambol. Two trains, four buses, a motorcycle taxi and a rickshaw later we finally arrived! (the fourth and final bus was probably the best bus I've ever been on! Had to sit in the cab on the gearbox! Tom was stuck in the back with all the thousands of locals they try to cram in...)
We were only planning on staying a couple of days there but it ended up being just over a week, the thought that it might be our last chance to top up our tans made leaving extra hard! We went to Anjuna Flea Market on the Wednesday which was hot and hassley but we got lots of shopping done. Tom did much better than I did, I'm a rubbish shopper if I'm not in the mood (and I definitely wasn't!) But there's only so much tea/spices/pairs of parachute pants/bangles you can see before it just gets boring! That sounded like a moan but it definitely wasn't, Anjuna was lovely. We found a lovely bar by the beach and spent the afternoon there watching the sunset and then watched an amazing band - sitar, flute, didgeridoo, drums. And Anjuna (and Arambol) is where all the aging  hippies that I was expecting to see in Palolem seem to head to. Lots and lots of people definitely not acting their age! Lots of mutton dressed as lamb! But they all seem to be having the absolute time of their lives and I can't say I blame them, Goa would be the perfect place to grow old disgracefully!
We (begrudgingly) said goodbye to Goa and left for a few days in Mumbai to sort out loads of boring bits and pieces. Although I can't say we were sad to say goodbye to some of the Arambol wildlife - snakes in restaurants, a praying mantis climbing up my chair, rats in our room...Anyway, back to Mumbai. Walking up the road past a McDonalds on our first morning prompted a Western day. Best. Day. Ever. Well it wasn't really, but we were so fed up of Mumbai that two McDonalds and a Bollywood movie with popcorn were just what the doctor ordered.
Wow lots and lots has happened since Hampi, I might have to leave the rest for another day. Still to come:
...Jabalpur (the worst city in India?)
...Bandhavgarh National Park (Tiger Mountain)
...Varanasi (the most hassley city in India?)

Stay tuned! (I won't make you wait so long for an update next time I promise)