Hello!!

Well the train took a lot longer than expected! We finally arrived in Varanasi at 12pm. The train was comfortable enough, we were origanally in 3 tier A.C. but Jess managed to skillfully get us upgraded to 2 tier A.C (which is significantly nicer!). Once there we found our hotel (which isn't particularly nice) and then went into Varanasi town. It was a lot more busy than i expected and a lot bigger too. We went on a boat ride with the couple from Australia that we met in Agra to see the burning Ghats. It was so interesting to see them and to learn a bit more about them. In Hindu religion, the Ganges is the most holy river, especially at Varanasi, so if a person dies here it is believed that their spirit reaches Nirvana and is no longer part of the reincarnation cycle. The burning Ghats are part of the ritual as the dead bodies are first wrapped, then washed in the ganges, then burnt on the Ghats. We then lit candles and sprinkled flowers into the river to improve our Karma.
After the boat ride we went for dinner with the couple in their hotel.
Today Jess and I have done a lot of shopping, although surprisingly quite a lot of it is for other people. We started off shopping along the main street but then stumbled apon a labyrinth of alleyways packed with all sorts of shops, so i think we spent about 3 hours in there before heading back to the main streets!! I think i am going to have to send a parcel home from Kolkata because there is noway it will all fit in my backpack!!

Tomorrow we have another day in Varanasi (before getting the overnight train to Kolkata) so we are hoping to do a yoga class here.

Hope you are all okay. Lots of love xxxxxxxxx