West Bengal - Sikkim - Nepal - Bhutan - Varanasi - Bangladeshi- Agra
Day 1/ Day 2
The day had finally arrived and Elaine and the two boys (Milo & Romeo), took me to Manchester airport for my flights to Siliguri in West Bengal for my next road trip on a Royal Enfield motorbike.
Three flights. Manchester to Kuwait City, Kuwait City to New Delhi, New Delhi to Siliguri. Set off at 12pm from Manchester and arrived in Siliguri 19 hours later at 11.30am local time.
My pre-booked driver was exactly where he said he would be and delivered me to my hotel in the centre of Siliguri.
Gautam, the guy I was renting the bike from (A Royal Enfield Thunderbird - precursor to the Meteor which I have in the UK) was brilliant with communication before I arrived, had arranged for the bike to be delivered to the hotel. Some money changed and a recce of Siliguri, it was an early dinner and bed
Day 3
Gautam had organised for the bike to have a major overhaul before my trip and as I was heading to Darjeeling today, he asked me to pop into the office there for his mechanic to give it a final check over. When I arrived, his Irish wife and young daughter were there to greet me and were absolutely lovely.
The trip from Siliguri to Darjeeling, although only 85km, couldn’t have been any starker in landscape if it had tried!
Siliguri is a typical Indian city with its poverty, squalor and huge contrasts and sits at just 122 m above sea level. Darjeeling on the other hand, sits at 2,134m above sea level and is a good 10 degrees cooler. The majestic lower Himalayas sees high sided valleys, which the population have adapted to grow their magnificent Black Tea. Founded by the British East India Company during British rule, it has been the summer destination for the elite of India for well over 100 years. It boasts the narrow gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, affectionately known as the Toy Train. Initially built to transport Tea from the mountains to the plains below and to export, it now takes tourists up and down the mountain, still using the original British built steam engines. As you wind your way up and down valleys towards Darjeeling, the tracks criss-cross and are part of the long, windy spiralling roads that take you to Darjeeling. Not a problem if you are in a car, but those of us on 2 wheelers, need to hit the tracks at exactly the right angle or you take a tumble.
The ride up to Darjeeling is spectacular, however at this time of year (winter), you are often in the clouds, so visibility is hazy at best.
The township of Darjeeling does not disappoint either. A fabulous square called Chowrasta gives epic views (on a clear day) of Mount Kanchenjunga, being the third highest Mountain in the world and one of twelve mountains in the Himalayan Range over 6100m (20,000ft.) The monkeys teasing the stray dogs was a treat to see and there is a great bazaar here too where you can sample the many varieties of tea. Had I been on this trip for longer, I would have spent more time here.
My hotel was just by the terminus of the Toy Train, which was a treat to see over half a dozen original engines.
Day 4
Today sees me head off early into Sikkim which is north of Darjeeling and further into the Himalayas. I had originally planned on going up to Lachung, however when I checked the weather report, it had begun to snow up there, which is no place for a two wheeler. Gautam suggested I head over to a place called Yuksom and then over to Gangtok, which I did.
Sikkim is a funny place, insofar as it is part of India but you need a travel permit to enter and they also stamp your passport - in and out!
The roads up here are very poor with many closed because of rock falls on already poor dirt roads. The progress was slow but worth the trip. The countryside is beautiful with Elephant Crossing points for the herds of wild Indian elephants. Sadly, they were all asleep when I drove through, so I wasn’t blessed with their presence.
I arrived just in the nick of time to the glorious home stay that Gautam had recommended, when the heavens opened and continued to rain all throughout the night. Nevertheless, this glorious homestay grows all their own vegetables so dinner was my first (and definitely not my last) taste of Thukpa which was divine.
After the hard day's drive it was off to bed fully clothed with my motorbikes heated gloves! It was so very cold but I did manage some sleep, waking only to throw back the covers because I was so hot from the heated gloves!
Day 5
After a fond farewell to my new found friends at the Ejam Residency in Yuksom, I headed over to the local Buddhist Temple. The morning prayer for Buddhist New year had started at 6am this morning and the amplified singing could be heard throughout the valley. Quite a lovely way to be woken!
The roads yesterday were hard going but today after a nightfall of rain, they were treacherous! Again only about an 85 km ride but with all the mud and rough roads, the trip to Gangtok (Sikkims capital) took a staggering 6 hours to ride. Thankfully the plentiful wildlife of goats, cows, monkeys and stray dogs kept me entertained along the way. At one point, I stopped on the roadside to drink some water and was oblivious to the troop of monkeys sitting on a log no more than 6 feet away. I don’t know who was more intrigued, me or them. After 5 minutes of us looking at each other in silence, they scarpered when I reached for my camera in my bag, which was a shame.
When I arrived in Gangtok, you couldn’t see the colour of either me or the bike, such was the covering of mud. Shower, food and a couple of hours of nighttime walk around what seems like a lovely city, that is Gangtok.
Day 6
Today I completed the loop above Siliguri and ended up just West of Siliguri ready for my trip tomorrow into Nepal.
The drive down from Gangtok was just as beautiful with rivers, mountains and incredible lush greenery. In fact they call Sikkim the Green State and is very different to anywhere else I have been to in India before. I bizarrely had several deja vu moments, where I thought I was in Bali 40 years ago (sadly not as Bali is today with the destruction by tourists), such was the similarity to the vegetation and the way people live. The food and culture of Sikkim is oddly different to India’s probably due to its influx of Tibetan refugees in the 1700’s. The vast majority of its indigenous population have more of a Tibetan appearance than an Indian one and the food is more South East Asian in flavour rather than Indian.
If anybody has time and seeks to see somewhere completely different and lovely, then I can highly recommend Sikkim.
Day 7
Gautam had arranged for a mechanic to come very early and check the bike over as there was a slight oil leak. The pace, knowledge and expertise of the guy was amazing and I was all good to go at 8am - I still hadn’t finished my breakfast!
I was on the road, excited to be heading to Nepal, whose border was only 25 km from where I was staying. My enthusiasm waivered slightly, when I was held for three hours on the Nepali side.
It was my own fault and the length of time it took to sort it was the Nepali border force trying to be helpful.
Both Nepal and Bangladesh visas are one of a few nowadays that require you to attend the Consulate in person - both of which are in London. I thought (because their website says so) that the Bangladeshis would issue the visa there and then.
So I booked the train to London, booked an appointment with the Bangladeshis in the morning and over to the Nepalese consulate in the afternoon.
When I arrived at the Bangladeshis consulate, I handed over my documents and passport, paid the fee and was told to come back in 2 weeks! When I questioned the official he just said they were too busy and I would need to return for my visa and passport in 2 weeks!
As luck would have it (or so I thought), I have dual passports of Australia and Britain. Under normal circumstances, travelling to different countries on different passports is not an issue, so I thought I was doing the right thing and took my other passport to the Nepali Consulate. Job done! Just another trip to London in 2 weeks.
I thought I had cracked it, that was until I got to the Nepal border and was pointed out that one of the requirements for entry was a stamp from the country I had just left (India), which was in my other passport!
To be fair, the Nepal official at the border was lovely and tried unsuccessfully to transfer the visa so after an hour, I asked if I could pay an additional fee (US$30) for a visa for my other passport. He said he was embarrassed that I had to fork out again so asked if I could wait a few minutes for some further phone calls.
Three hours in and it was finally sorted! Next was the Customs Office to pay customs for importing the hire bike (£1.20 per day) - another hour of queues and I was on my way!
The aim today was to get to Itshari, about 100 km away from the Indian/Nepal border. The road is quite busy and boring as it is just the national highway however about every 500m there are diversions whilst they upgrade the road. These diversions take you onto rough dirt roads where bikes, tractors, wagons and cars are all jockeying for pole position for when the road turns back to tarmac.
It was exhausting and quite dampening of the spirit after the 4 hours waiting at the border.
I arrived at my hotel in Itahari around 5pm filthy dirty from all the dust and diesel fumes. The only saving grace on the day was the piping hot shower at the hotel and a very Large Strong Gurkha Beer in the hotel.
I also had the privilege of stopping on route at a tiny bakery in the midst of some lean to battered stalls, for a cup of tea. The young lad asked if I wanted to try one of his cakes he had just made. I am normally very fussy about what I eat in this part of the world because of previous bad experiences, nevertheless, I agreed to be polite. What materialised was the most amazing, fresh cream filled, and the lightest sponge cake that I have ever experienced! It was unbelievable! My mouth is watering as I write this, it was that good. He also wanted to practice his English so struck up a great conversation with him. After paying my bill of a staggering .40p for a huge wedge of this divine cake and 2 x cups of black tea, I bade farewell, after leaving a generous tip for him lifting my mood and sharing his heavenly creation
Day 8
I woke today with lifted spirits as I was heading North into Nepal and back into the Himalayan foothills.
The roads were fabulous. Not unlike the B or A roads in the UK, without potholes!
Quite incredible for one of the poorest countries on earth. They also have hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of EV charging stations, even in rural Nepal. It really does put the UK to shame!
The countryside soon showed its beautiful side again with the roads winding and climbing up incredibly deep sided valleys, with hairpin bends and magnificent views. The higher I climbed, the cloud descended and it became cool again. Undeterred and quite exhilarated by the ride, by the time I arrived at Bardibas (where I was staying the night), I decided to do another hour, then another and so it went on.
The road eventually declined to follow the TamaKoshi river. This powerful river massively flooded in September 2024 and swept much of the BP Highway away in its torrents. You have to see it to believe the damage caused to the infrastructure. You are driving along at a couple of hundred feet above the river and the road has completely disappeared. Instead, you have to divert on a very steep inclined makeshift diversion down the mountainside to the river, then backup where the road hasn’t been washed away. There are dozens and dozens of sections that have just completely vanished into the river.
The riding became hard but still exhilarating. The road eventually inclines again, taking you away from the river. It really is sad to see what damage has been caused and how local populations' livelihoods have been affected.
By now, it was starting to go dark but I was now only 30 km away from Kathmandu, so I decided to press on and have an extra day exploring Kathmandu.
That was, until I realised when it had almost gone completely dark, that I had no headlight on the motorbike.
The only way I could carry on was to get in behind a car or wagon and follow them.
Pretty scary stuff as what you couldn’t see, was the potholes! I must say, it really tested my riding skills, not to mention my wits! It was a pretty stupid thing to do in hindsight as I really could have killed myself. Nevertheless, I carried on until I came across a petrol station. This was unusual as I hadn’t seen one for well over 100km, as most Petrol is bought from roadside stalls from 1 litre plastic bottles.
The guys there pointed me in the direction of a mechanic just 100m away, who sorted out my blown bulb. At last I could see where I was going and set off to complete the 335 km ride of the day! I was buzzing when I arrived at the hostel I had booked in Kathmandu and they had even ensured I had piping hot water for a shower to get rid of the dust and grime from all the diesel fumes from the trucks I had been following without lights! A couple of beers and a meal, completed the perfect riding day and I went to bed buzzing from the ride.
Day 9
I slept like a baby last night and after breakfast set off to explore Kathmandu. The bike was staying put today, instead I had planned a walking tour of about 5 miles round trip of where I was staying in the heart of the city.
The hostel where I am staying is fabulous. There are dormitory rooms or private double rooms. I’m a bit long in the tooth to share a dormitory these days, so I booked one of the double rooms. They have a fantastic chef and it is full of backpackers, hippies and retirees, all there to either track to Everest Base camp or just experience Nepal. Over breakfast I spoke to French, German, English, Malay, Russian and even a Colombian person, all here for a variety of reasons but primarily to experience the Himalayas and of course Mt. Everest.
Kathmandu is a vibrant city. Very poor but with lots of high end shops and restaurants for the international traveller, who clearly pay a small fortune to enact their bucket list desires. All the top end hiking stores , Timberland, and even a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop, selling their flavours at £5 a cone!
On the other side of the coin, there are lots of stall holders selling anything from gold, carpets, Kashmir and pots and pans. It clearly is not atypical of Nepal as such, as the general populous are very poor indeed. Street vendors, taxis and Rickshaws all offer tours and guides as part of their daily routine.
Meanwhile, on my hike around, I came across a gathering of what must have been over 300 people outside what appeared to be a hospital A&E, all patiently waiting outside in their turn to join the large queue inside the hospital. It really does make you appreciate the privileged system we have in the UK despite us always moaning about it! I spoke with a doctor who was on his break who told me they do not have paramedics, no 999 or 111 system, patients are expected to make their own way to A&E or the hospital more generally. What amazed me was how they all queued so kindly and gently to each other. I recall my annual visit and shift I did at our local A&E when I was an MP and it always struck me how demanding and rude some people were to nurses and doctors in our local hospital, not to mention some of the trivial things people in the UK went to A&E for. We should make them all come here just to give a lesson on kindness, not to mention, show them how very privileged we are in the UK. Rant over!
The pictures and videos I’ll post are far more self explanatory than words of mine can express here.
After 4 hours out in the glorious sunshine, not to mention the thousands of people on the streets, I take my leave and head back to the hostel for an afternoon beer and some well deserved quiet time.
Day 10
Today I’m heading out further afield to explore some of Kathmandu's fabulous shrines and temples, not to mention the Chandragiri Hills Cable Car. Apparently on a clear day you can see Everest.
It seemed fair to say, it was starting to be quite sunny when I set off on the motorbike for my 50 km round trip and when I arrived at Chandragiri Hills and saw the mountain I was about to ascend on the cable car, my hopes were high to see the largest mountain above sea, on the planet!
Ticket purchased and I set off on the 2.5km climb on the cable car.
At about 1.5km up, it became quite misty and by the time we got to the 2km mark, we were definitely immersed in thick fluffy clouds! I embarked the cable car for the 500m walk to the summit, dampened in spirit, but still a pang of hope to finally see the lady that is, Mt. Everest.
It was so cloudy at the summit, you could just about see 10m in front of you!
Despondent, I set back off down the mountain the same way I had arrived, full of hope the flight I had arranged over the mountains in the morning, will produce a sighting.
Next, I set off to see the Buddha Stupa which was on the other side of the city. The Stupa is a major spiritual landmark, a UNESCO world heritage site and is believed to be the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism. Relics held here are bone pieces from Kassapa Buddha and Shakyamuni Buddha and the original stupa was built in the 8th Century.
On arrival at the Stupa, I was met by a lady with a baby in her arms and six very small children asking if I could buy rice to feed her family. She was very persistent and her baby was very cute, so I walked over to a restaurant , intending on buying her several cups of rice to feed her and her children only to be whisked away by her, to a shabby shack where she wanted me to buy a bag of uncooked rice. When I asked the dodgy looking trader how much for a bag of rice, he said it was the equivalent of £75! Clearly a scam, I scarpered!
Undeterred, I headed for a wonder around the Stupa in awe of the faith and dedication of those who had come from far and wide to pray and find solace with the sacred space. After a banana muffin and a flat white coffee, I set off for my final destination for the day which was the Budhanilkantha Temple.
This Hindu Temple is an open air temple dedicated to the Hindu Lord Mahavishnu.
He appears to be floating and is referred to as the Blue Throated Buddha.
There are many Buddhist Monks here in Kathmandu and it was lovely watching 2 x young Buddist Monks (Samanera) batting a shuttlecock around with a core broom!
The temple is also home to monkeys which steal the fruit offerings and play havoc with the people there to pay their respects. Definitely worth the drive if not for the sacred space and people watching.
Drive back to the hostel through the manic Kathmandu traffic for early dinner and bed for the mountain flight I’ve booked in the morning to see Mt. Everest!
Day 11
4.30am alarm this morning for the early flight. Mind you the alarm was fruitless as I had been awake for hours. I was actually more excited about this sighting than I care to acknowledge!
Anyway, I took a quick shower and dressed for my early collection by taxi to take me the short distance of about 10 km to the airport.
I arrived at the airport to be told the flight would be delayed because of the low cloud. At 7.30am they loaded us onto coaches and then the aircraft in anticipation of the pending departure. 2 x hours later, we were still sitting on the taxi ramp, when the cabin crew announced that a test flight had departed to see what visibility was like around the mountains. At 10am they announced there was no visibility and all flights today would be cancelled! Back to the coach and terminal. Taxi back to the hostel. It is quite cold today so after sorting out my kit for my departure tomorrow, I decided to lie under the duvet for an hour to get warm.
5 x hours later I woke up, the day completely wasted!
Nevertheless, I did go for a final walk around Thamel where I am staying and had a couple of beers and early tea.
Another early start tomorrow as I’m flying to Bhutan for 3 days and hopefully tomorrow, if the gracious lady, that is Mountain Everest, decides to show herself, I may see her on my way to Bhutan.
Day 12
Taxi to the airport at 6.30am for my 9am flight to Bhutan.
As a country, Bhutan manages tourism through ‘high value, low volume’. It is very difficult, ‘cost wise’ to do it on the cheap. Tourists are only allowed to roam freely in Paro and Thimphu. Anywhere else, you have to have a guide at a cost of around US$250 per day. Add that on top of the US$100 per day ‘Tourists Tax’ (in the guise of the Sustainable Development Fund) and very costly flights to get there US$450 for the return 50 minute flights from Nepal), it is not for the faint hearted!
All forms of touring within Bhutan, is with organised tours and are hugely expensive.
It became too cost prohibitive for me to take the motorbike across the border so I decided to pay the tourist tax for 3 days and fly from Nepal. After all, I couldn’t come all this way and not see something of Bhutan.
I’ve been incredibly privileged to have seen some incredible natural wonders of the world over the years on my travels, but nothing could quite prepare me for the hugely majestic and beautiful sightings of Mount Everest and the Himalayas. It really did take my breath away. The incredible beauty and majesty of seeing them all from the window seat on the flight to Bhutan. It is one of those events that I will never forget, such is the stunning views of this natural beauty. You also get to see the third highest Mountain in the world, Mt. Kanchenjunga standing at a proud 8,586m (28,169 ft)
I arrived in Bhutan to be met by a pre-ordered taxi to take me to my hotel in Thimphu. Settled in, I went for a walk along the river bank, towards the main town area of Thimphu. Exchanged some cash, had lunch and sat people watching for a few hours, with great admiration of the many who wore their traditional dress. Gho for men and Kira for women. They are required to wear them by their government in school, government offices and on formal occasions. It apparently promotes their cultural identity. I must say, it is lovely to see and they all seem very proud of their identity. It was the King's birthday celebrations this week and they were all excited about the celebration.
Bhutan is the only country in the world that has a Net Negative Carbon footprint. The taxi from the airport was electric. OK, they are only the size of Switzerland in an area with about 10% of the population but they take great pride in what their country achieves.
Unless you are on a motorbike tour here, you are unable to hire a motorbike (at least I struggled), and the hotel had quoted me US$200 for a days tour of Thimphu and Paro, so, when I got a taxi back to my hotel, I asked the taxi driver if he wanted a job for about 6 or 7 hours in the morning, to show me all the best bits. He looked sheepish (so thought he was about to rip me off) when he quoted me US$40. I agreed the price (to his surprise) and he agreed to pick me up at 9am
Day 13
Bang on time at 9am, Tshering picked me up. We headed down the valley towards Paro and the famous Tiger's Nest monastery whilst along the way, Tshering pointed out many mural filled monasteries, snow covered peaks and ancient fortresses. This whilst navigating the hairpin bends as we headed down the deep sided valley.
The Tiger's Nest Monastery was our first stop, albeit from a photographic distance. I opted not to hike the 3 hours up the cliff face and 3 hours back! It is a wonderful sight seeing this temple built within the cliff face. Built by King Tenzin. Rabgye in 1692, it is one of the most revered sites for Buddhist people. Buddhists have worshipped on this site in a cave since the 9th century. Quite amazing!
Next stop was the Drukgyel Dzongkha. Built in 1649 as a Buddhist Temple and fortress to commemorate the victory over a Tibetan invasion. By 1950 the monastery was a ruin however to celebrate the birthday of the new prince in 2016, it was rebuilt to its former glory.
A tour around the town centre of Paro highlighted the unique architecture of Bhutan, which is very different to either India or Nepal.
As a special treat we went to a ‘Greasy Spoon’ cafe (or at least their equivalent) for lunch of Samosas, chilly sauce and strong black tea. It really was scrummy!
Next stop after lunch we headed up the valley towards Thimphu to marvel at the Tachog Lhakhang Old Bridge. This 600 year old Iron bridge crosses the Paro River and is a marvel built of iron so very long ago.
Perhaps the second highlight of the day for me was our steep inclined road up to Kuensel Phodrang, which is the home to the largest statue of Sakyamuni Buddha in the world. Perched at 2655m on a mountain top, you can see the magnificent of this temple all over Thimphu. Only built in 2015, it commemorates the 60th year reign of Bhutan's king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Within its sanctuary are a further 1000 Buddhas which are identical. Surprisingly for me, I found the visit humbling and incredibly peaceful.
Finally for the day, a visit to see Bhutanese Parliament, High Court and Administration buildings. Not quite Westminster and Whitehall but it did have an air of calm in comparison!
Finally, I organised for Tshering to pick me up early in the morning for my flight back to Nepal and collect the motorbike for the ride back into India.
Day 14
4.30am pick up for the taxi ride back to Paro airport and my 7am flight to Kathmandu. Fond farewells to Tshering and an uneventful flight back to Kathmandu.
An hour later I had packed up the bike and set off for the 150km border crossing with Nepal and India.
The ride took me on some pretty horrendous roads, up and down mountains with dozens and dozens of hair pin bends. The scenery though was awe inspiring with the Nepalese farmers, terracing much of the mountain sides, to fully utilise the crop potentials. It really is amazing to see how they utilise every bit of available space to earn their coin.
After an uneventful crossing of the border into Bihar, a region of India, it soon became apparent how poor this part of India really is. No infrastructure to speak off and farmers still using Bullocks to do all their heavy lifting on the farms and for transport. It was humbling to see the small villages that I passed through where women and small children were tending to their animals, who lived either under or beside their makeshift houses of mud and clay. Cows, chickens and goats provide households with their daily food and the crops in the fields too. It really is a very basic life with little or no understanding of the wider world.
My destination this evening was a town called Bettiah, about 50 km over the Nepali border in India.
It was getting dark when I arrived and I really was ready for a shower and bed after the long day, coming from Bhutan.
When I arrived at the hotel, which I had pre-booked via Booking.com, I was told by the receptionist that I couldn’t stay as I was a foreigner! I thought surely, I had misinterpreted, as English was not common in these parts of India. After several minutes, the young guy called his boss who I spoke with. He again reiterated that I couldn’t stay as I was a foreigner and foreigners were not allowed to stay at their hotel! Gobsmacked, I left in bewilderment, not least I could already feel the hot water of the shower on my back! I suspect what they actually meant was that they do not have all the forms which foreigners have to fill in as part of government regulation - at least that was me being generous!
Anyway, now I had a problem because it was now dark and bullocks don’t have lights on their backside when they are travelling on the roads and all the other hotels listed on Booking.com, I had passed over 30km back.
The only option was to crack on in the dark to the next big town called Gopalganj, some further 45km away.
The going was very slow due to those bullocks pulling carts full of crops, bicycles with no lights and people walking in the middle of the road! 2 hours later I found a hotel, nice hot shower, food and bed!
Day 15
Breakfast and off again on the road to Varanasi. The surrounding area was still very, very poor with the morning air filled with smoke from the many burning fires. Many Indians do not have rubbish collections, so along with the mounds of dried cow and bullock manure, they burn it in the morning for heat and their daily cooking.
I normally try to avoid the motorways (Nothing like ours!!!) but about 70 km outside of Varanasi there was a toll road - which in India means it is marginally better than everything else! Nevertheless, being able to travel at 60km per hour for most of the last stretch, meant I arrived in Varanasi well before it got dark.
Shower, change and a walk around the area I was staying put me in good spirits for the 3 days I have allowed myself to explore one of India’s holiest of cities that is Varanasi. Not to mention the Ganges River, which I fully intend to explore the Ghats tomorrow.
Day 16
Chores first up. Laundry, bike cleaned and in for an oil change.
Next was my trip into the Ganges Ghats. I’ve always wanted to go to see the Ganges River at Varanasi. It is considered to be the Holiest river in their holiest of cities. People flock here and when I say flock, they say 4 million when there is a festival on, and I’m here during a festival! So no bike, it’s an Auto Rickshaw. I've seen some pretty manic roads here in India but the roads around Varanasi are to be experienced to be believed. In fact the whole Varanasi experience at is only believed to its full extent if you experience it! Hundreds of thousands queuing to get into the many sacred temples. The old, infirm, young and younger, are corralled into lines that literally go for miles!
The rickshaw drivers are stopped about 1km from the Ganges river, the rest must be taken on foot.
The experience is mind blowing, to say the least. I’ve been in crowds leaving Wembley stadium at the final whistle but that is minuscule compared to this. There is a sea of people as far as the eye can see. They have traffic cops just to direct the people. There are times on the foot journey, that the crowd just takes you, no matter where you are heading, such is the force of the sheer amount of people here. Eventually and I don’t know how, I arrived at Dasaswamedh Ghat where everyone who isn’t queuing for temples or shrines, arrives.
Ghat in a river sense, means ‘Steps leading into the river’, so here I had my first view of the mighty Ganges River.
The water of the Ganges is considered Holy to Indians, so many come here to bathe in its waters because it’s said that to do so, will cleanse you of your sins.
It doesn’t seem to matter that the raw sewage of half a dozen main Indian Cities flows into it, nor in the Ghats not 500m away, is where people come to be cremated on death. The ashes of those cremated here are also scattered in the mighty Ganges. People wash their clothes in it too.
To say it is incredibly polluted, is an understatement.
Despite this, all this activity, from thousands and thousands of people, happens right before your very eyes.
Dozens and dozens of boats are here too, taking pilgrims across the river to bathe. Here too are caravans of camels, doing a variety of chores to aid those pilgrims.
I stood in awe at the activity and people watching. The Sadhus (Holy Men) are in abundance and the thrill of Hindus in their presence is plain to see.
The young and the old, helping each other into the dark mucky waters, seem to transform their aura as they submerge themselves in the sacred water. Their spiritualism is lifted and the transgressions gone by this one single act.
I walked along the waters edge alongside those queuing for the river side temples, almost envious of the blind faith and euphoria of those who came for spiritualism.
The Manikanka Ghat is where the cremations take place. To be cremated here is the ultimate in the Hindu faith. Depending on your cast, determines where you get cremated. I’ve written in my previous blog about the caste system here in India - basically the darker your skin colour, the lower your cast, no matter how well educated you are. So the lower casts are cremated behind tin barricades, where the higher casts are cremated on the rooftops of shrines, supposedly closer to God.
Cremations here are a public affair however women of the deceased are not allowed to attend for fear of their wailing and grieving, scaring away the good spirits that are going to take the deceased away - I kid you not!
Basically here, they build a large fire and put the body onto the base, then pile more wood on top. The eldest son or father lights the fire and rituals are said.
It is quite something to see and they cremate, 24/7, such is the demand for being cremated in the holiest of sites.
I attended the funeral of a woman from the lower castes and a man on the shrine rooftop, considered from the highest cast. I've seen dead bodies before but this was on a very different level, seeing the body there before you in the flames.
I made my way down to the next Ghat where I caught one of the many boats for a trip further down the Ganges river. I needed some time to process what I had just witnessed and to gather my thoughts. Not to mention looking at the activities of the Ghats from a less crowded angle.
The boat trip took a little over thirty minutes when I disembarked at a quieter ghat down stream. It’s difficult to eat in Varanasi (In fact most of India) because the hygiene is so very poor and the last thing I needed on this trip was food poisoning.
Hydration however is important as the weather here despite it being winter still, is around 30 degrees Celsius.
I spent the next 2 hours walking and watching - oh and time too for a haircut - heading back in the direction of Beniya Bagh, where the auto rickshaws were to take me back to the hotel and dinner
Day 17
I managed about 2 hours sleep before waking up wide awake and it was around 10.30am when I re-woke up. Feeling quite tired and groggy today, I decided to have a proper rest day and do nothing apart from maybe a walk.
The walk lasted all of 30 minutes because it was too hot, too noisy and I felt tired.
Instead, I returned to the hotel and brought my diary up to date, snoozed and caught up with emails and messages
Day 18
Today, I feel much refreshed and all packed up to leave Varanasi on the motorbike, heading back to West Bengal and Siliguri to return the bike.
Today the journey takes me to Chapra.
Surprisingly, the roads are generally quite good on this route (for Indian standards of road) and I arrived in Chapra too early as I was so enjoying the ride. Instead, I decided to carry on to Muzaffarpur, still in the Bihar region of India.
I arrived at my hotel, to be told yet again that they don’t allow foreigners to stay. This time it was the Manager who told me. When I questioned why, he said it was their policy. After questioning why he advertises on Booking.com which has no mention of them not accepting foreigners as guests, he relented.
I must say that as a foreigner, it is not just in the hotels. They are quite unwelcoming in this part of India. Not many speak English, nor do I speak Hindi, but despite this, they do seem to go out of their way to be rude. It’s whether you pull over for a drink or pop into a stall or shop.
I can also say that over many years of extensive travel, I have always felt comfortable. I haven’t felt so in Bihar. Whether Bettaih or in between, I have found myself taking extra care when walking around or driving in the towns and cities. Sad really, as generally I have felt very at ease in India.
Day 19
Today the destination is Araria. The driving conditions again are good. During the trip today, the bracket holding the speedometer snapped - no doubt due to the roads! - so first stop in Araria was the Royal Enfield workshop. Part and Labour was just £2
Day 20
Today I completed the full loop of 2,500km and arrived back in Siliguri. It really was an amazing trip and now look forward to just chilling the weekend before flying off to Bangladesh next week
The hotel I had booked was close to a shopping mall, so plenty of western food joints, albeit I'm still sticking to the vegetarian options!
Day 21/22/23
Chill out days. Bike cleaned and collected by hire firm and shopping for a new pair of glasses! New frames and lenses here are much cheaper than the UK. £70 for varifocals!
Day 24
Tensions between India and Bangladesh currently are at a straining point. Last year Bangladesh had huge protests and disposed of their Prime Minister who fled to India. Meanwhile it appears India is not currently extraditing her back. Similarly there are issues with illegal immigration and the state of the Ganges river when it gets to Bangladesh.
As a result, the trains, buses are all cancelled and flights only on weekdays. I initially intended on going to Bangladesh on the train, however I had to book a flight instead. No flights from Siliguri so I had an hour flight from Siliguri to Kolkata. Five hour wait, then a one hour flight to Dhaka. A whole day to fly just 500 miles!
Booked a pick up from the airport to the hotel with dinner in the hotel. The hotel was the best one I have stayed on this trip!
Day 25
With only two full days in Dhaka, I googled itineraries and chose one which allowed me to see most of the highlights of Dhaka in a day! Rather than go on an organised tour, I used their itinerary and went solo.
First up at just under 2km away was the Bangladesh Parliament. A stunning building built in 1982 and designed by an American architect, Professor Louis Khan. Bangladesh used to be called Pakistan East, however in the 1970's they fought against Pakistan (West) for independence and won. (With India's help) They then became Bangladesh.
This magnificent building was a result of their independence. It is, however, currently closed. In 2024 there were massive riots against the government and the building was badly damaged with vandalism and looting. The Prime Minister fled to India, which is the cause of the current tensions with India. Nevertheless, the Parliament building is massive at over eight million sq feet and located on over 200 acres of land. The caretaker government says elections will be held soon, however no date is forthcoming. Meanwhile, the economy is on its knees.
It is quite hot now, so an auto-rickshaw ride to my next destination, the Dhakeshwari Temple. This temple is the only Hindu temple in the world which is owned by the State. This is in recognition of the Hindu's who live there. It is also the largest Hindu temple in Bangladesh.
Another rickshaw ride on some of the worst congested roads in the world, not to mention chaotic, to the Khan Mohammed Mridha Mosque.
This mosque was commissioned in 1705 and has a platform which is 16 feet in the air for prayers, under three domes. It is an archaeological site, however it has been damaged beyond repair over the years and restored to a point where it is dis-similar to its origin. Although you are not allowed to enter, it is worth a visit from the outside.
From here, a short walk to Lalbagh Fort. Named so after the neighbourhood where it sits, it was commissioned in 1678. It was never completed as the second Moghul subahdar halted building after his daughter died there. There is a mausoleum built there that houses her tomb. It was never finished and became abandoned in the 1800's. Nevertheless, it is one of Dhaka's most famous landmarks and is well worth the visit which is surrounded by large gardens.
Another auto-rickshaw ride to the Tara Mosque. Rebuilt and renovated in 1924, it was covered in blue stars as decorations. This gave it the name of the Star Mosque. I arrived just before prayers so only got to take photos from the outside. Still, it was worth the visit to see another of Dhaka's famous landmarks.
Still not satisfied that I hadn't covered all my bets for religious sites today, the next stop was an Armenian Church. Built in 1781, it signifies the large number of Armenians that came to this part of SouthEast Asia to trade in the 1700's. They were doing work on the building when I arrived, however one of the curators let me in and gave me a running commentary on the interesting history of the church. Notably here is a very large oil painting of the Last Supper, which is superb. They say the church bells from here can be heard 4 miles away.
Next came the Ashan Manzil or the Pink Palace. Originally the palace or home of the Nawab of Dhaka. It has had a chequered history since its sale to the French in the 1800's, it is now a museum on the shore of the Ganges river. The entrance fee includes entrance to the museum which shows much of the furniture and decor of its period. Perhaps the most famous of Dhaka's landmarks.
Short walk to the river boat station where ferries travel far and wide on the Ganges river. Here I decide to take a small boat across the river to see the ship breaking yard. For about £3, a guy will punt you across the river and back. The Ganges here is as black as Onyx. Highly polluted and poutred in smell from the huge amount of sewage and pollution poured into the river from India. It really does smell awful. A quick look at the ship breaking yard where dozens and dozens of men are working to break up ships with absolutely no regard for health and safety! They then use the parts to build ships or sell on. This is a small example of over 150 ship breaking yards along this 250 km stretch of the Ganges river.
To be honest, I couldn't get off the boat quick enough as the smell was awful.
The final destination on my whirlwind trip to Dhaka today is Shankaria Bazaar, commonly known locally as Hindu Street. Jam packed with textiles, stationary and book shops, it is indicative of the high street here in Dhaka.
Hotel and dinner, quite exhausted!
Day 26
Quite tired after yesterday, I decided to go visit the Bangladesh Air Force Museum which is a Metro ride from the metro station outside the hotel. Two stops and I was there at a cost of .30p.
I didn't expect much from the museum but was pleasantly surprised at the range of aircraft on display from helicopters to MIG fighters. The museum is based around aircraft used in the war of Independence in the 1970's and is quite diverse in the aircraft and their uses. Definitely worth the visit which lasted for around 2 hours.
A short walk back to the Metro station and the rest of the afternoon with my head in my latest novel up on the top floor of the hotel
Day 27
My booked taxi arrived at 9am to take me to the airport for the two hour flight up to Delhi. I had allowed for a 4 hour transfer from Delhi airport to the Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station for my train to Agra. I first of all put most of my luggage in the baggage hold at the airport and set off. Arriving with only 10 minutes to spare for the 2 hour train trip to Agra.
Arrived in Agra in the early evening, taxi to the hotel.
It was while talking to the auto-rickshaw driver that I discovered that the Taj Mahal was closed on a Friday - tomorrow was Friday!
Gutted. The taxi driver suggested he pick me up early in the morning and he would take me to all the best spots around Agra, especially the ones to see the Taj Mahal. I agreed.
Day 28
At 7am, the taxi driver arrived to take me on my grand tour of Agra.
First stop was the vantage point to see the Taj Mahal which is absolutely stunning. Breathtaking even. The structure is magnificent. Built of marble in the 16th century, it truly is one of those remarkable landmark buildings which stays etched in your memory forever. Although I couldn't go inside, the view of the Taj Mahal in its entirety from afar, really is one of the most impressive wonders of the world I have ever seen.
My driver took me to several vantage points, all of which were as impressive as the last.
The other amazing landmark in Agra, is Agra Fort. Again built in the 1600's, the fort is not built on a mountain but on the lower plains. As a result it is completely moated, which was filled with crocodiles followed by a high wall. Beyond which, were pens of Bengal Tigers to deter invaders. The magnificent fort took 80 years to build and has a wall that is 2 miles around. Built of red brick, it stands proud and can be seen for miles around. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan lived here and built the Taj Mahal for his wife Mumptaz Mahal. He became so obsessed with the beauty of the Taj Mahal and his love for his wife that he started to build a second mausoleum, called the Black Taj. The only problem was that he had run out of money, so decided to impose a very unpopular tax on his people to pay for it. His son and successor, Aurangzeb, imprisoned his father within the white dome on top of the Agra Fort, because he refused to stop building and taxing the people. When Shah Jahan died, he was interned next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.
Our next stop was the Baby Taj. A mausoleum built in the 1620's, it was used as the blueprint for the Taj Mahal. Stunningly maintained and crafted in marble with intricate inlaid precious stones in every single marble tile. It really is an incredible work of art and understandably beautiful in its own right. You can fully understand why it was used as the blueprint for the Taj Mahal.
A stop at a traditional Indian cafe for some lunch before heading back to the station for the train back to Delhi. The airconditioning in the third class carriage was a god send in the soaring heat of the day.
Back to Delhi, then the airport. Collect my bags and prepare for my 3am flight back to Manchester via Kuwait City
Cost of this trip
Flight - Manchester to Dehli return £513.63
Flight - Dehli to Siliguri o/w £150.00
Flight - Siliguri to Dhaka via Kolkata o/w £79.00
Flight - Kathmandu to Paro return £380.00
Flight - Dhaka to Dehli o/w £107.00
Flight - Himalayas Mountain flight £175
Train - Dehli to Agra return 1st A/c & 3rd Aircon £30.00
Visa India £32.00 eta
Visa Nepal £25.00
Visa Bhutan + SDF £200.00
Visa Bangladesh £103.00
Motorbike Hire £280.35
Customs charge Nepal £12.00
Hotels/Food/Petrol and Spending money £1500.00
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Total Cost of trip £3586.98 less refund for Mountain flight which was cancelled of £175.00
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