We gathered up our stuff and avoided the touts (fewer than I imagined!) as we waited outside the station for our pick up. Eventually a flustered looking man asked if I was Monica, I said no but that I was waiting for a pick up too. He wandered off and then returned a few minutes later flashing his hotel card and asking if I was 'Kristy'? - This seems to be my adopted name in India so I said yes. He was still looking flustered and asked us to wait while he tried to find his other guest. No problem for us - we were pleased to have been found so took off our bags and waited.

A few minutes later we were squashed into a tuk-tuk on the way to the hotel. We had to get out before the hotel as tuk-tuks are only permitted so far into the winding alleys of the old town. A 10 minute fast paced walk took us through the alley ways to our hotel. We were shown to our room and collapsed into bed - it was still only about 5.30am. I fell asleep thinking Varanasi was far dirtier than anywhere else we had been in India.

We woke up a couple of hours later, enjoyed a shower and went to register. We had breakfast overlooking the Ganges River but neither of us were feeling too great so returned to the room for an hour or so. After this rest we headed out into the tangled alley ways that make up the old town of Varanasi. As soon as we left the hotel we here hassled by 2 different men trying to sell us hash, it seemed that the best way to shake them off was to say in a loud firm voice 'No I don't want to buy any drugs' - this seemed to make them back off.

The second man was a little more persistent and was insisting that we go down to the Manikarnika Ghat which is the main burning ghat. We were not sure we were ready for that yet so we said 'no thank you' to the man who still continued to follow us. In the end he started shouting at us 'go, go' as he realised we didn't want to take his advice. This wasn't a nice first experience for us in Varanasi.

We followed the alley ways this way and that, ending up at one ghat and then turning around. Its shame the water is too high so we cannot walk along the river's edge all the way. We were relieved and surprised to be left alone at the ghat to just watch what was going on. We continued to wander - a little bit lost by now but I found a shop and bought a scarf before we eventually found our hotel again. Neil isn't feeling too great so we had a drink and relaxed a while before heading back out.

We were disappointed to learn that there are no boat trips going out due to the high water - or so our hotel manager says - we are planning to investigate some more tomorrow. We'll be gutted if we can't do a sunrise cruise.

We went back out walking to the Dasaswamedh Ghat - said to be the most colourful and lively ghat in Varanasi. There were so many people there it was totally manic. As soon as we entered the area someone tried to usher us into a boat to get a better view. We told him we were ok where we were and eventually the boat people seemed to leave us alone. There were lots of young girls around trying to sell postcards and coloured powder which were hard to resist. As we were standing up an old man moved over in his seat and beckoned Neil and I to sit down. He then had a stilted conversation with us in his best English explaining he had lived in Varanasi all his life. We took some photos and he shook both our hands before he left - so sweet and such a great experience with a local! We enjoyed sitting amongst the locals watching them pray and cleanse themselves by waving their hands over the fire and then over their faces. There was also lots of drumming and bell ringing as people prayed and released floating tea lights into the river.

We left and headed for some food at a very posh roof top restaurant. It had great views of the river and ghat that we had just been at. The food was delicious! After dinner we luckily found our way back to the hotel fairly easily. Neil is still not feeling 100% - hopefully he'll feel better after a good night's sleep.

Neil still isn't feeling too good so we slept late before getting some breakfast and spent a little time on the internet before heading out. We strolled through the winding alley ways that make up the bazaar and I purchased another scarf - I think I'm addicted! We then made our way to Manikarnika Ghat via the blue lassi shop. Lonely Planet has it down as the best lassi in Varanasi and it wasn't far off! I had a delicious mango one while Neil enjoyed an apple one. While we were sat enjoying our lassis with the hoards of other people there we saw people carrying dead bodies on stretchers down to the ghat. The bodies were covered in beautiful coloured material so we couldn't see anything apart from the body shape but it was weird knowing there was a dead body there. We saw about 5 or 6 being carried down in a short space of time, and the people carrying the stretchers were kind of chanting as they walked.

The main burning ghat - Manikarnika Ghat is believed to be the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated. It is also believed that if they die and are cremated in Varanasi that they end the re-incarnation cycle and go to heaven. We wandered down to the ghat which is surprisingly open and easy to do. At first we walked the opposite way along the river and sat on the steps of Scandia Ghat watching people bathe and wash their clothes -only men though - I have no idea where the women go? We were left alone here to watch the locals which was so nice.

Eventually we went back over to Manikarnika Ghat which is no easy feat as the river is very high right now. We could see the smoke and knew this was where the cremations were taking place. We went over and watched for a while as men on the high platform stoked the fires which had people being cremated in them. I saw a stretcher come up and onto the platform but with lungs full of smoke I moved on before I saw any more.

Along the alley ways down to the ghat were the huge scales to weigh the wood as well as lots and lots of wood piled up. It was a fairly surreal experience which felt less holy, sacred and sad than it should have to me compared with a similar situation back at home. It showed a completely different way of ending life to the way we do it at home. It was all so open and 'normal' compared with the grief, respect and mourning we have. I am not saying this is the wrong way to do it, it is just so different to how we are taught to lose life at home - it seems that life is celebrated more than mourned here which I think is a great thing and something we should do more of, be happy someone was alive in the first place not mourn their loss so much.

Back at the hotel we relaxed as Neil is still not 100%. We read for ages before heading out for dinner. We went to another roof top café which had lovely views of the river. We are gutted that we won't be able to do a sunrise cruise due to the high water and strong current. We enjoyed dinner before coming back to the room. We have had a couple of power cuts this evening, the most we've had since Agra but luckily the hotel had a generator so we don't have to swelter without a fan for too long. Here's hoping Neil feels a bit better tomorrow.

We had a really long sleep in today which was lovely but unfortunately not lovely enough to make Neil feel better! After a leisurely lunch we went for a short wander down to the main Dasaswamedh Ghat which was very different in the daytime. We were both hassled for boats and hash - both of which we declined! We enjoyed watching the locals bathing and having prayers done before wandering down to another ghat. At Meer Ghat near our hotel we saw men bathing water buffalo - so weird!

We walked along the main street for a while and the alleys that make up the old town on the way back to the hotel. I bought another pair of trousers for just 110 Rupees (1 pound 30 pence ish!). Bargain! I love it here and would do more shopping if only I had more space in my backpack!

Back at the hotel we relaxed for a while and read - Neil is really trying to fight off his bad tummy but at the moment is losing the battle. After unsuccessfully trying to use the Wi-Fi we went out for dinner at a nearby hotel. I had a delicious curry and naan while Neil had something blander in the hope that it won't aggravate his tummy. We are both packed up ready to be moving on from Varanasi but are a little sad to be leaving India soon!

We finished packing before having some breakfast and finally using the internet. We checked out at 12 and had a very eventful journey to the station. First of all Neil was harassed by a very stoned man to buy hash, and if no hash then a tuk-tuk. He quoted 180 rupees for the ride to the station - extortionate! In the end Neil told him to go home and sleep it off. There was no way we were getting into his tuk-tuk even if it was at a better price! The second thing was as I was walking past a cow in the alley it took a dislike to me and decided to head butt me. Luckily he only caught my backpack but this was lifted right off my shoulders and like the girl I am I shrieked real loud! Luckily the stoned man (somehow still around!) moved the cow so he could get past - scary at the time but hilarious to think about it now.

Out on the main road we were quoted 125 rupees for a tuk-tuk but decided it was more than we wanted to pay and eventually we snared one for 100 rupees. This was the third funny thing - the driver Ragu was mad, lovely but mad! He was driving no handed, chopsing away to us asking a million questions as well as telling Neil he had a nice wife - obviously! He said that next time we visit Varanasi we will go and meet his family - he made the rather long journey fun.

At the station we easily found the platform we needed and plonked down on our bags. Here we experienced the worst begging in the whole trip. An Indian lady simply stood in front of us with a bowl and the saddest eyes - it was the hardest thing to say no but you simply have to. She eventually moved on and we were pleased to see that the locals were not giving to her either.

Our train turned up and we got on, stowed our bags and met our compartment companions - a Polish girl and a Korean girl. We spent a while talking about our India experience before lulling into a relaxed atmosphere. A little while later an Indian family got on, mum, dad and child of about 5. This family were not interested in talking to us at all. We bought some chai and later some pakoras which the man tried to charge us 50 instead of 15 rupees for - we handed them back until we were given the real price. The Indian family didn't even help us with this - what a different experience to that of sleeper class.

Eventually we made up our beds and climbed in. I spent another few hours listening to music and contemplating life before falling off to sleep on our last Indian train.

India has been a real love/hate experience for me. Day 3 or 4 I wanted to leave, I was desperate to leave but after giving myself a talking to I just got on with it. From that day India grew on me and now is one of my favourite places we have visited. I hope you have enjoyed reading what we went through! Lots of love and kisses xxxxxxxxxxx