We got collected by our boat driver at 5.30 am for our sunrise boat ride along the Ganges. Given it's still foggy and misty, the sunrise wasn't very impressive and seeing the dead bodies burning wasn't anything new, it was just very cold! On the walk back we managed to get hold of a jar of Nutella for our rolls today! Yes! The reception staff told us breakfast started at 8, and since we were up and I was hungry we were there at 8. The menu said it started at...

We were told to meet the guide at 12, so had some time to kill. We went to the cash point, but my credit card didn't work. A Rs200 phone call revealed that Halifax had yet again neglected to tell me an important feature- I can only withdraw 50% of my credit limit in cash. I'm sure I didn't read that in the terms and conditions! We returned from the internet cafe at 12, but our guide wasn't there at half past so we rang him (today has been the first day we've...

A weird Indian man who wanted to look at our photos sat near us, even though his bed wasn't in our compartment. However he was quite helpful when he notified us we were just outside Varanasi station where we stopped for a while. Impatient Indians just got off there and walked the rest of the way. Hotel Ajanta's 'Representative' met us on the platform for our transfer to the hotel. It could have just been the weather, but first impressions of Varanasi aren't ...