Varanasi train statin was the most welcome of arrivals, straight into a tuk tuk to hotel Ganesha, greeted by two cows and really accommodating staff. Things were looking up. The hotel provided a free guide so we did some brief shopping then headed the the Assi Ghat for food, later returning at night to Varanasi to watch/participate in a Hindu ghat ceremony. It was pitch black as we meandered our way through the winding alleyways towards the Assi Ghat, the blackne...

The alarm was set for 5:15 and with the Taj Mahal being only 500 meters away we stood a good chance of being the first to arrive for the worlds most famous building. The Taj sunrise was as spectacular as they say, we gently floated around with the hundred or so equally eager happy snappers. The Agra fort was the next stop in which we found what seemed like a thousand tourists being cooked in a 34 degree oven, a shady spot with a view of the distant Taj was the mo...

A 5 hour car journey past party's of pilgrims, fields of flowers, burning brick factories, bustling bazaars and colourfully decorated lorries led us to Saied and the Ghost City, 3 hours and 100 photos later the most hilarious tour to date was over and our journey to Agra continued. We were greeted with poverty, excrement covered dead rats on the backs of cows lying in puddles of filth outside shop fronts, the 5 second rule did not apply in Agra! With our senses s...

The day started with the usual photo opportunities, local palaces, monuments etc. the water palace being the most impressive, we spent the morning in the amber fort mesmorised by the never ending lines of elephants carry smiling tourists up and down the mountain. We explored the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar before lunch and then, strap yourself in, we're going shopping in India! Jewellery, followed spices followed textiles, followed saris, we discovered Indi...

A 6 hour drive stood between us and Jaipur the pink city. We passed grassland, scrubland and acres of farmland, hordes of pilgrims atop elephants and camels sang and danced their way 500 kilometres south to a holy place of worship. The amber fort was our first introduction to an impressive monument strewn city where cows, elephants, camels, dogs, cats and Indians all fight for there spot on the street. Delhi this is not.