I'm back in the Himalays! Albeit, a lot lower down at just 370m altitude. Hence, Rishikesh is a lot hotter than Mcleod and only slightly cooler than Amritsar.

I had to get up around 545 to get to Amritsar station for my train to the nearby city of Haridwar. The whole journey was a bit.. dull. It was in fact very easy using the train here in India. Nothing like the images of horrific overcrowding, this was a fancy commuter train between 2 big cities, equipped with a ferocious Arctic-level AC.

The train ride crossed the breadbasket of India, the Punjab and then Haryana, home to the worst gender ratio in the country. The trip was perfectly on time. We stopped at a variety of small cities and journeyed through mostly very green farmland and forests. Some of the cities seemed quite western and developed though of course there was the occasional slum.

From Haridwar I managed to catch a Vikram, a sort of fat Tuk-tuk, to Rishikesh. Haridwar is a holy city in Hinduism and I got to catch a glimpse of the HarkiPauri as I left, where the Ganges 'officially' leaves the Himalayas and so is venerated spot.

Rishikesh is a bundle of different villages all with a slightly hippy atmospehre. When I first arrived I thought it was a bit too overdeveloped. I still think so, but nevertheless it is a beautiful place. Not as tranquil as Bhagsu but nothing as hectic as Amritsar.

I had a delicious Paneer Korma in my Zostel's roof top cafe and relaxed. I've been a bit sleepy all day due to the early start, late night and long dull train ride. I did head out in the evening to the Ganges. And what a sight it is.

I had to navigate a concrete jungle of Ashrams (Yoga retreats) and hotels before making it to the riverside. But it is stunning. Absolutely beautiful. The Ganges, brown thanks to the sediment brought by the monsoon lashing the mountainsides upstream, sweaping past a beautiful Hindu temple where Hindu priests were singing some form of prayer. Meanwhile, inquisitive Macaques were jumping up and down the bridge and messing around with coke bottles.

The mountains as well were beautiful. Rishikesh is a very 'spiritual' place, it is the place to do Yoga. I might join in if I can, I only have a couple days. We'll see how it pans out but I'm glad to be somewhere less hectic and more relaxed again.

Alavida!