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My last day in Varanasi, I am taking the train in the afternoon to go to Lucknow.
I have been tempted to have a swim and wash in the Ganges’s ever since I arrived and finally succumbed to the idea. I put on my swimming shorts and t-shirt, took my towel and courage and made my way to join the long lines of washers into what must be the world's greatest bathroom. The water was surprisingly warm and consistent. I washed myself, surrounded by all the women in sari's and the men wearing those typical Indian "over-underwear" as they call it. My shorts and washing technique provoked hilarity amongst the men and children but embarrassment amongst the women. The swim was brief but did qualify as a swim before I retreated to have a proper shower at the hotel.<br/><br/>

Varanasi, Friday the 12th of August

Degrubenc
2005-12-09 17:38:41

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My last day in Varanasi, I am taking the train in the afternoon to go to Lucknow.
I have been tempted to have a swim and wash in the Ganges’s ever since I arrived and finally succumbed to the idea. I put on my swimming shorts and t-shirt, took my towel and courage and made my way to join the long lines of washers into what must be the world's greatest bathroom. The water was surprisingly warm and consistent. I washed myself, surrounded by all the women in sari's and the men wearing those typical Indian "over-underwear" as they call it. My shorts and washing technique provoked hilarity amongst the men and children but embarrassment amongst the women. The swim was brief but did qualify as a swim before I retreated to have a proper shower at the hotel.

I am sad at the thought of leaving this magical and fantastic city: there are no other places on earth, holy or otherwise, who grip the imagination and senses in the same way as Varanasi does. Everything is in contrast, the prayers told so fervently yet acted on so nonchalantly. The colours, the celebrations, the deaths being celebrated and an ode to life. I will miss the smell of grilling chicken skin that accompanied the cremations at the ghats. Cows in India are sacred yet they make great toys for small kids who climb on them, tugging at every horn or tail. The cows in their benevolence seem to remain placid, only looking forward to the next rubbish pile where they might find a tasty plastic bag or a good newspaper to chew away.

No rickshaw or vehicle can reach the hotel so I am forced to take my bags and set off on foot, that is until a local delivery man with his 3 donkeys goes by; he has just unloaded his load and is returning empty. He is happy to carry me and my load to the main road to the station. I sit on the second donkey while the third carries my bags. Seeing the city from a donkey creates a kind of bizarre detachment to the life taking place around: one ...

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