So true, Marija...

Great point Marija, exactly the right place. Well, maybe you could make a case for sending some to Kolkata.

Great report - so glad you're falling for Varanasi.

Marija, I had the same thought when I saw that silver box. (I did float a candle for him, more about that later.)

There is only one solution: a GTG/pilgrimage from Melbourne to Varanasi...Just imagine the trip report!

Remember all the problems we encountered when planning dogster's Love Boat cruise?

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...t-175072-2.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...oat-thread.cfm

Knowing what we do now, we can understand his sense of urgency. I keep waiting for him to post some witty, sarcastic comment to put us in our place...

Thanks, crosscheck. Still following along - awesome report and only reinforces my commitment and desire to visit India. SOON. However, it's probably going to be another year until we can go. Update: just as were about to finalize our booking plans, our friends had to back out for February. DH and I were still strongly considering going ahead, but he found out the next day that he has some training for work he must attend out of town, shrinking the time he has to be away to a max of about 9-10 nights. That seemed too short to make the trip we want in India possible (even 13-14 nights felt tight). And we really want to go with these friends. Sooo, we made a crazy last-minute turn around. In about 48 hours we changed our plans and booked a trip to Tanzania! It's our 25th wedding anniversary year (I plan to milk that for at least a couple of trips) and while I've been to South Africa twice, DH has never been to Africa at all. We've both wanted to go to East Africa and when I asked for his first choice (he rarely expreses a preference and is happy to go pretty much anywhere I pick), he said he wanted to go on safari.

So...India will likely be next year. And now, thanks to you, I have even more details and information...it's really not that crazy that we came up with similar itineraries, you know. I had prioritized my interests/musts (Varanasi, Udaipur, Agra) and then saw your plan. I simply "borrowed" (ie. stole) some of your flow/ideas/itinerary as it seemed to work perfectly for us. I hope you don't mind. Thanks!;-)

Sigh...yes, I am slowly ajusting to the "empty nest." The boys are both so happy (and we have gotten to see them a couple of times) that it is hard to be too sad, but I do miss them. Travel helps. :-) I hope your college kids are doing great, and that you're adjusting to your new life as well.

CC, add me as another who's loving your report!

Ditto Elainee's question: name/contact for your Varanasi guide?

Great report Crosscheck, am waiting with baited breath ...

Also, I would love to know who this guide is too.

Thanks for all the kind words and sorry for my tardiness - I do realize that I have left off with a cliffhanger, but I've been swamped with real life projects this week. Gpanda would definitely give me a penalty.

marija, I saw those Love Boat posts back in the day, but never realized that dogster originated them. What a trip that would have been.

fun4all4, Congrats on your anniversary AND the safari plus India voucher for next year. You're getting your cake and eating it too. Lucky that you've been able to see your kids...ours are far away :( We're at parents weekend now though, so all's good (except laundry situation).

Elaine, Cali, violet: The guide can be booked through Louise Nicholson, [email protected]. Same with our incredible Udaipur guide.

Will be back with the report on Sunday or Monday.

DAY 7

THANKS, GANESH
If you’ve come halfway around the world to go on a boat ride and the government has closed the river because of high water levels, it doesn’t hurt to place a little bronze Ganesh (remover of all obstacles) next to your bed before going to sleep, even if you’re the type who celebrates Rosh Hashanah.

To cover all bases, I had told the hotel people to wake us up at 4:45am (the normal morning boat wake up time) if the Ganges happened to open. No such luck. But at 5:41am I heard sounds coming from the river. I peeked outside, saw a moving boat or two in the mist and sprang into action.

After a week of being pampered, it felt great to be out on the ghats using my own negotiating skills, arranging a 45-minute cruise that would keep us a few feet from shore. By 6am we were on the river, chugging along inches from the quintessential vista. The 45-minute excursion, normally complimentary through the hotel or Rs 150 ($3) if you arrange it yourself, ended up costing Rs 1000 ($18) each, but oh so worth it. Mr. C thought it was non-sanctioned, but I think that it was okay because some local boat traffic was necessary to get to the flooded ghats.

At first our boatman wanted to navigate the currents in a rowboat, but I insisted on a motorboat. And we had the finest one to ourselves and the boatman – a craft that probably usually crams in twenty tourists.

ROLLING DOWN THE RIVER
There was no real sunrise, just a slow clearing of the mist, revealing the classic Benares cityscape. We didn’t cover the whole shoreline, so missed some of the famous ghats. But because the river was eerily empty of traffic we had a very intimate experience, with vivid extreme close ups of bathers, teeth brushers, clothes washers, chanters, etc. When it came time to float candles and flowers for loved ones, we included dogster, of course...then immediately heard Bruno barking from a nearby alley.

SARNATH
With the drama of whether we'd get onto the river out of the way, we had a day to just live in the moment. At Sarnarth, we visited our sole museum of the trip...a must-see (especially with an archeologist), full of treasures, though updating and better chronicling is indeed needed. Then over to the spot of Buddha’s enlightenment. No wonder he chose that setting...it was so quiet and peaceful that anyone would feel enlightened after the chaos of Varanasi. To continue with the spirituality theme, as we went headed back to the car, Mr C found some vendors with a good-quality singing bowl, probably his favorite souvenir (albeit Tibetan).

SILK STOP – MEHTA SILK WEAVERS
Purchasing not necessary. Go just to see the weavers - Indeed an ancient art. On the way we mentioned that we craved South Indian food. Someone ordered takeout for us and soon we were treated to dosas in the conference room.

Why didn’t I buy a saree? Maybe because the one I craved was Rs 37,000 ($687). But I did get a small high quality frameable weaving. My textile-collector friend back home approved, said she had never seen one like it.

MUSIC
One thing leads to another in Varanasi. Somehow we ended up at a place where Mr C, normally a western musician, skillfully played the sitar to the amazement of all in the room. I was reminded why I originally fell for him.

KITES
Back at the hotel for a siesta, the guy from the reception said there was a festival going on and invited me to join him flying kites on the roof deck. Wow! The skyline, the still waters of the Ganges, the golden hour light, plus scores of kites. The hotel guy seemed unfazed when, within minutes, I managed to get his stuck on a pole.

PHOTOGRAPHY
Goats, cows, water buffalo, adorable kids, gurus with turbans, festival carts, carved temples, wonders around every corner. Wander the lanes!

BURNING GHAT
I had attended a cremation years ago in Bali, a celebration. Like that one, what we witnessed in Varanasi was not a sad event. Mr C, normally squeamish, found it fascinating. A spectacle? You decide.

PALM READING
Our guide took us back to his house, disappeared for a moment and then returned in full priest garb. Can’t tell you what he told us, of course, would have to kill you. But the experience was pure Incredible India and we left with gifts and various follow up assignments.

A WALK!
Headed home by foot in the pleasant evening for several kilometers past Assi Ghat. Strolled along a road without guides, drivers or handlers, just like real travelers. No touts, no horrendous smells, even the sounds seemed not so loud anymore. Had the constant blowing of the horns put us into a trance? Probably...I think everybody is in a trance by Day 2. You don’t need the cannibus lassis to feel high in Varanasi. If you appreciate otherworldy places, this is where you want to be. But if you’re super type A, I would give it a pass.

A WARNING
We had planned on eating dinner at Bread of Life, as a nod to our hippie travel days. But we peeked in and it didn’t look very appetizing, and the menu seemed too western for us. So we ventured back to our hotel where we had an excellent light dinner with some multi-generational French travelers.

They had come from the direction where we were heading and warned us that the road between Khajuraho and Orchha was “long and terrible,” and that the Jhansi train station and train ride was “heartbreaking and filthy," with people doing their private business right there in public. What were we in for?

NEXT: TENTH CENTURY PORN

What a lovely Varanasi experience, crosscheck!

shame for using a motorized boat...

Elainee-when are you going to in Varanasi in February. Maybe we can share that wonderful guide. We are looking at February 13th through 15th.

We will be there Feb. 11 and 12. Our plans cannot be changed at this time. But if you could be there...great idea to share. I will post our full schedule later today.

GREAT descriotion of your Varanasi trip, CC. I loved so much of what you wrote: the joy /freedom of being just the two of you -no guides; hubby playing sitar; the amazing sghts and feelings; etc etc etc. So many wonderful and unique experiences.
I really MUST return, although the Varanasi i recall from decades ago was not as chaotic as what i read about nowadays.

The French visitors were shocked by people pissing and squatting by the train station? They sound very sheltered. That happens ALL over India.

Thanks, everyone.

rhk, The currents were way too strong for a rowboat - that was the whole point behind the closing of the river.

DAY 8 – VARANASI TO KHAJURAHO

LAPTOP AND iPHONE LEFT AT SECURITY
I’m not going to relay the embarrassing details of my flakiness, but let’s just say that the workers at Varanasi security are very honest and went to great lengths to track me down.

KHAJURAHO: NOT QUITE ANGKOR OR MACHHU PICHU, BUT SO WORTH A VISIT
Twenty minute flight on Jet. Our guide, a driver and a representative met us and we drove through the tranquil fields of green to the Lalit Temple View hotel. What a contrast to Varanasi - Only after you leave does the level of chaos register.

Our accommodations had a few eastern accents and lovely grounds adjoining the temple complex, but this felt like a western-style business hotel (with a full-on continental menu). A huge marble lobby with stylish, comfortable rooms, but somewhat soulless compared to other places we stayed. Fellow guests were scores of pharmaceutical reps attending a conference, which added to the business atmosphere. In fact, other than one Australian couple, we were the only travelers. (But the Lalit redeemed itself, read on.)

We were supposed to be guideless here – Louise had recommended a book and had suggested visiting the Western group of temples on our own. But the guide who was accompanying us to Orchha the next day showed up after lunch and insisted on escorting us to the temples, which turned out the right call because we got to visit the village.

SANDSTONE ORGIES
Although Khajuraho has gained fame for its ancient X-ratedness, this place is quite impressive on its own. If you are intrigued by ruins, you should go…there is much more here than eroticism. Serene setting with the temples rising from manicured lawns, most of the amazingly intricate carvings depict playful clean living. And really the tantric aspect is almost secondary - the whole deal is how well the temples were executed and preserved.

Our guide was not jokey like others we heard about – he spoke in earnest as he used a pocket mirror as a pointer and highlighted carvings while pontificating about the “achieving of pleasure” in the most serious, professorial way.

Why did nobody destroy these in 2000 years? It's uncertain, but fortunate. Fascinating to see the scope of this site - right up there with other World Heritage sites.

THE TOWN
Would have been fun to spend a little more time – lot of bicycles and a cool-looking market surrounded by lush countryside. Curiously all the touts thought we were from Spain, and were quite accomplished in Spanish.

OUR PRIVATE AARTI
We had read that our hotel offered an evening puja or aarti (anyone know the difference?) The folks at the desk said this would be at 7:30pm, but we had committed to go to a dance show at 7:00. The reception people asked what time we could make it…We said 6:15, so they rescheduled the whole ceremony for us. As the sun set (and the conference attendees romped in the pool), we assembled under our own ornate alter with our own Krishna priest, a flute player, a bell ringer and a helper who brought out the various offerings. For 30 minutes, the priest included us with fire swirling, Om chanting and other meditative activities, then gave us some raisins and nuts to distribute to the hungry. And we thought this was a business hotel.

DANCE
Our handler gave us the choice of a sound and light show, or two folk dance performances. The outdoor dance supposedly had “mosquitoes and spiders” so we opted for one inside a theater, which was not altogether bugless - halfway through the show, I found an enormous beetle crawling around under my shirt. Otherwise, a fine show - an hour of regional dances from all over the country. The music was preredorded, but the costumes were authentic and the dancers were attractive, talented professionals from Delhi. Fun to observe the Bollywood roots in Punjab traditional dance. (And later, the Aussie couple - both doctors - said the sound-light show had transpired within a cloud of pesticides.)

DINNER
The pharmaceutical workers had their own party outside, and our slightly over-attentive server kept bringing us tastes of their grilled treats, all much more authentic than what was offered on the hotel menu. All in all, a great 36-hour rural break in Khajuraho. Very relaxing and provocative, a visit that will stay with you. And your photos will delight your young adult kids.

NEXT: ROAD TO ORCHHA; TRAIN TO AGRA

I just keep thinking of the large beetle under the shirt and you sounding so calm about it!

I vaguely remember Khajuraho and the temples from our visit in the 80's and can't wait to take another look at the photos.

Glad your hotel turned out to be quite magical and that Varanasi lived up to its reputation as well.

Following along here. I can do without the beetle, but the rest sounds just great.

On the TMI front, the next day when I described the intruder to our guide, he said it probably was actually a cockroach. But it was so giant that I prefer to remember it as a beetle.

The French visitors were shocked by people pissing and squatting by the train station? They sound very sheltered. That happens ALL over India.>>

IME the pissing happens all over FRANCE and I've certainly seen squatting there too!