I was just getting ready to add a link to this in a post about Varanasi, when I realized that I hadn't actually named my Varanasi hotel...what an oversight!

I stayed at the Ganges View, and loved it; it's beautifully kept, serves wonderful meals, and is on the quieter Asi Ghat. http://www.hotelgangesview.com/
It was really like staying a home, provided that home was a mansion! Lovely people, too; it was quite a haven from Varanasi's stew. I think my pictures might do Varanasi just a little bit more justice than the report; it really is incredible, and the images and experiences are staying with me probably more than any other place (which includes the Taj, of course) in India.

After answering a question on the board about a hotel for those into-Delhi-out-in-the-AM flights, I realized that I hadn't put the Lemon Tree Hotel (Udyog Vihar one) in Gurgaon in here; I stayed my first night here and found it to be just fine for that purpose. They're also opening one soon in the airport. (Now THAT'S a good idea!) It took about 20 minutes +/- to the airport and was under $100. Nice little coffee shop, too. http://www.lemontreehotels.com/lemon...otel-home.aspx

I enjoyed reading your report all over again.

Nice to get your view on India :) I am yet to visit Leh, Ladakh. Awesome you got to do all this while here! :D

Well written report, Amy. You are courageous to go in the summer and alone.

thanks for linking this to the post on fictitious trip reporting.

love your writing style. i could so easily visualize some of the scenes.

i am amazed that as a single american lady how well you were able to navigate through india.
i had to be in delhi on a family emergency about 3 years ago and although i was born and raised in india, i was not comfortable being a single woman waiting for my car and driver.

Thanks, abranz! I guess that since I'm a city girl born and bred I don't have too much of a problem in any city. I can get lost just as easily in my own city as anywhere else! :)

Just a note about the fictitious trip reporting to those who don't venture into the lounge: this was in response to a post asking whether a trip report should be fictionalized in order to be more appealing; I put in the link to this one to show that, in my opinion, you can express your feelings and ideas without resorting to fiction. Not only did all of this indeed happen, I think some part of my mind is still working away on processing parts of it even over a year later. I'd love to go back!

PS: The final photo link may as well be here, too: Delhi, Varanasi, and Agra: http://travel.webshots.com/album/564974112vGKLqP

TTT. LOVE your trip report--saw it mentioned on another thread. thank you, Amy!

Awesome report, Amy. Loved all your personal thoughts/perspectives.

Webshots stopped being a picture storage place, so the pix have migrated to SmugMug:

Southern India: http://missalg.smugmug.com/Travel/In...1598282_RrrQ2N

Northern India: http://missalg.smugmug.com/Travel/In...6712302_Ztk4ks

Sorry to bring this old TR up, but I wanted the picture link to be accurate!

Thanks, Amy.