The arrival into India was what you could call organized chaos, although it isn't really that organised at all. There is a 1km lineup of cars, people on bikes, motorbikes, and walking. To get through is a madhouse, because the lineup goes both ways! It heads into an arch that says on one side thanks for coming to Nepal, and vise versa to India. You can cross the border as many times as you want at this crazy place because nobody checks your passport to make sure you are who you are and there are no bag checks either, you just walk through the border and go about your day.
Obviously we got our paperwork done because we are flying out and the aairport is a little more strict, however I could have been having a beer, and smoking a joint as I crossed the border with illegal orphans in my backpack to sell across the border. I obviously didn't bring anything over the border because we have all been through LAX, and if you haven't well its pretty much the most guilty you will ever feel, (for doing nothing) in your whole life! So we always take precautions. Anyway there is a little sign that says immigration office on one side, and then after you got your stamp, you walk across the border, pushing through people, (cause if you don't you will be surely left behind, or trampled, or run over!) And find the other sign that says immigration, and get your new visa stamped.
As we walked through though, there were little girls walking with bags on their head, it looked as though they were rushing, and we still don't know why, but as they ran across the border, an army man cut open their bags to expose about 20 kg of rice. I don't know why he cut the bags, but he let them hold onto them and run across the border. Maybe its their way of checking your luggage I don't know. But you just keep your comments to yourself and go across as fast as you can, haha. Its CRAZY!
So we found a bus, (oh I should add it took us about 1.5 hours to get to the border crossing from the closest city we were at) And 5 hours later we were in the next border city called Gorakpur. We booked a night train that was supposed to leave at 11:15pm. We ate some supper, and then waited for 5 hours at the train station, while everyone stared. It is weird to be stared at. We know that staring is rude and try not to do it, but they sit by you and look, like there was a fetus growing out the side of our heads or something! It is crazy, you can stare back at them but they will just keep looking, they might look away for a couple seconds but then its back to staring. I get it more than Mark, but I knew this coming into the country that they would look at the WHITE GIRL!!!! But WOW, its crazy. SO I started making weird faces and making weird sounds cause I feel like if they are gonna look at me I might as well put on a show!! They don't even smile or wave, just a straight face the whole time. WEIRD!
Anyway, the train was only 2.5 hours late which was good because the other train we heard was going to be 8 hours late, that's business in India, you just have to be patient. We got the sleeper train but it is pretty noisy on the tracks, so sleeping was not really persistent. We arrived in Varanassi at 10:30am, needing a shower and some food, as well as a place to stay. WOW what a crazy place, its fast, colorful, and full of excitement and MADDNESS! We are about to stay our first night in India not in transit, after being through their crazy alley streets, getting blessed by a Sidu, and drinking Chai tea with a snack of Dhosa on the side of the road. SIDE NOTE: when you get street food, weather its a tea or food itself, they usually give it to you in stainless steel plates and cups so you stay there and eat/drink and there is no waste. Unless you just get a samosa or small snack with no sauce, they wrap that in old newspaper and send you on your way!
I could wirte a heck of a lot more but I should leave some to the time. But I do have to explain the smells. The smell of curries cooking, milk tea being brewed, people peeing on the buildings, cow patties wherever they feel like going rats in the streets, eating all the garbage that is carelessly thrown on the ground. One mimnute you can't wait to get out of the urine encrusted street smell, and don't know how people can sit there in the alley and live like that, but when you turn the corner, the most beautiful big river and Ghats, and fresh food being sold!
Were not in Kansas anymore!
Obviously we got our paperwork done because we are flying out and the aairport is a little more strict, however I could have been having a beer, and smoking a joint as I crossed the border with illegal orphans in my backpack to sell across the border. I obviously didn't bring anything over the border because we have all been through LAX, and if you haven't well its pretty much the most guilty you will ever feel, (for doing nothing) in your whole life! So we always take precautions. Anyway there is a little sign that says immigration office on one side, and then after you got your stamp, you walk across the border, pushing through people, (cause if you don't you will be surely left behind, or trampled, or run over!) And find the other sign that says immigration, and get your new visa stamped.
As we walked through though, there were little girls walking with bags on their head, it looked as though they were rushing, and we still don't know why, but as they ran across the border, an army man cut open their bags to expose about 20 kg of rice. I don't know why he cut the bags, but he let them hold onto them and run across the border. Maybe its their way of checking your luggage I don't know. But you just keep your comments to yourself and go across as fast as you can, haha. Its CRAZY!
So we found a bus, (oh I should add it took us about 1.5 hours to get to the border crossing from the closest city we were at) And 5 hours later we were in the next border city called Gorakpur. We booked a night train that was supposed to leave at 11:15pm. We ate some supper, and then waited for 5 hours at the train station, while everyone stared. It is weird to be stared at. We know that staring is rude and try not to do it, but they sit by you and look, like there was a fetus growing out the side of our heads or something! It is crazy, you can stare back at them but they will just keep looking, they might look away for a couple seconds but then its back to staring. I get it more than Mark, but I knew this coming into the country that they would look at the WHITE GIRL!!!! But WOW, its crazy. SO I started making weird faces and making weird sounds cause I feel like if they are gonna look at me I might as well put on a show!! They don't even smile or wave, just a straight face the whole time. WEIRD!
Anyway, the train was only 2.5 hours late which was good because the other train we heard was going to be 8 hours late, that's business in India, you just have to be patient. We got the sleeper train but it is pretty noisy on the tracks, so sleeping was not really persistent. We arrived in Varanassi at 10:30am, needing a shower and some food, as well as a place to stay. WOW what a crazy place, its fast, colorful, and full of excitement and MADDNESS! We are about to stay our first night in India not in transit, after being through their crazy alley streets, getting blessed by a Sidu, and drinking Chai tea with a snack of Dhosa on the side of the road. SIDE NOTE: when you get street food, weather its a tea or food itself, they usually give it to you in stainless steel plates and cups so you stay there and eat/drink and there is no waste. Unless you just get a samosa or small snack with no sauce, they wrap that in old newspaper and send you on your way!
I could wirte a heck of a lot more but I should leave some to the time. But I do have to explain the smells. The smell of curries cooking, milk tea being brewed, people peeing on the buildings, cow patties wherever they feel like going rats in the streets, eating all the garbage that is carelessly thrown on the ground. One mimnute you can't wait to get out of the urine encrusted street smell, and don't know how people can sit there in the alley and live like that, but when you turn the corner, the most beautiful big river and Ghats, and fresh food being sold!
Were not in Kansas anymore!
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