1/3/2012 Orcha to Varanasi, India

We had a nice relaxing morning in our deluxe tents, got packed up and had a leisurely breakfast outside in the sun bird watching (saw loads of massive eagles, green parrots and vultures – amazing!). At 11am a few of us took a tuk tuk to a locals house where we did a cooking course which was brilliant, learnt numerous curry recipes, chai tea, chutney, naan type bread, and cumin rice all amazing, can’t wait to go home and cook! The girl who took the course was 25 and had a 16 day old baby snoozing on the couch next to us while we made notes on all the recipes!

We wandered through Orcha for a while and made a few purchases before meeting a local guide and doing a tour of the palace which was great. There were loads of monkeys around because the locals leave sweets at the palace as offerings and the monkeys live off them! There were also amazing views from the top, out over the river and around the village and countryside – very pretty. We listened to many stories about the king and his concubines and tunnels that connected him to each of their rooms and wandered through the massive stone complex.

After the tour a group of us went rafting down the river outside the hotel and next to the palace. We went through a few rapids and past loads of temples and finished with a picnic by the river. It was great fun and very relaxing (I managed to score the best seat in the raft where I could take photos, didn’t get too wet and didn’t have to paddle!!).

We managed to catch a spectacular sun set on the banks of the river looking back over to the temples around our hotel before setting off to the train station. We celebrated Amanda’s birthday with cake then (for the first time in India) we were collected by CARS and driven to the train station (which was almost just as scary as going in the tuk tuk – hats off to the Indian drivers in the dark!).

Our train to Varanasi was a sleeper train with 6 bunk beds in each compartment (3 stories high) and a curtain to pull around for privacy (no locking door)… The comfort level wasn’t much different to the Trans Siberian trains just a little dirtier and less private/safe as far as luggage storage goes. We were woken at 7am by Indian police with massive rifles swung over their shoulders trying to ask us in broken English about our bags, eventually we realised they were asking if we still had all our belongings as someone’s must have been stolen (luckily none of ours…).

Jenny in our tent

Around our tents

Around our tents

Around our tents

Around our tents

The 16 day old baby belonging to the girl who took our cooking class

Cooking class

Cooking class

Cooking class

Cooking class

Cooking class

Cooking class

Cooking class

Orcha

Orcha

In the streets of Orcha

In the post office in Orcha

In the streets of Orcha

The Orcha palace

Crossing the river to the palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The group in the Orcha palace: Anne, Signe, Johannes, Kate, Theresa and Amanda 

The Orcha palace

Inside the Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace

The Orcha palace 

The Orcha palace 

View from the Orcha palace 

View from the Orcha palace 

The Orcha palace

View from the Orcha palace 

The Orcha palace 

View from the Orcha palace 

The Orcha palace 

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The Orcha palace

The rafting group: Johannes, Signe, Jenny, me and Theresa 

Transporting the raft down to the river...

Anne, Signe, Theresa, Johannes, me and Jenny on the way to the river 

Ready to go!

Locals having a wash... 

and some fun...

jenny and Theresa on board the raft

One of our guides

Another of our guides

Hemang watching on from the dry land 

Our captain 

Cruising down the river 

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river - Jenny, Theresa, Anne and Johannes

Cruising down the river - our team on board: Jenny, Theresa, me, Anne, Johannes and Signe 

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river - we went through this bridge 

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river

Filling up...

Cruising down the river

Cruising down the river - one of our guides took a dip, we weren't so keen! 

Cruising down the river

Anne - a little wet!!

We survived the rapids! 

The group and me in my nice little dry spot in the middle of the raft! 

Cruising down the river

Disembarking 

Emptying the raft 

We made it! 

Packing up

Our boat before pack up

Picnic on the rocks

The rafting crew: our guides with Jenny, me, Signe, Theresa, Anne and Johannes 

Carrying the raft back to the truck - it was heavy! 

Truck ride back to the hotel / tents 

Sunset in the camp site

Sunset in the camp site

Sunset in the camp site

Sunset in the camp site

Sunset around Orcha

Sunset around Orcha

Cute little kids in Orcha 

More cute kids 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

A normal day for these ladies! 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Amazing! 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Bridge crossing... 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Sunset over the river in Orcha 

Celebrating Amanda's Birthday in Orcha before leaving for Varanasi