Tuesday 23 December 2008

Dirt and Deities

When we arrive in Haridwar for the Monsoon Festival, our friend helps us find a rickshaw driver to take us to the right bungalow. Haridwar is like a ghost town.
Sleeping bodies lay sprawled everywhere- in parking lots, on the side of the road, in ditches. In the rickshaw, we get our first glimpse of the mighty GANGES. Breathtaking, even in the darkness, you could still see the strong current and the mist rising off it. No wonder it's considered a deity and worshipped.
Our rickshaw goesall the way through the streets of a neighborhood, only to find the road blocked to our hotel. Fucking figures there's no sign. So we head allllll the way back and are told we have to walk 1km to the hotel. Thank the Ganges our driver walks us over- this place is freaky! It is creepy outside at 2am. Our hotel is tucked away in a dead part of the city; we have a little bungalow right on the river with only 2 single beds (for 5 people...)
Hannah and I take care of paying for the room, waiting desperately for water and hot chai. When we return to the room, figures Delphine has showered first, even though Amanda is sick as a dog. She's hopeless. Tensions are high, especially between Amanda, Jess and Frenchie.
Hannah and I try our best to stay positive, offering to take the floor, with me sleeping RIGHT next to the door where I can already see bugs crawling in. Ah! But I deal. Reminds me of that scene in Indiana Jones, The Lost Arc where he's literally crawling with buggggs. Eeek!
Hannah and I share a single sleeping bag but nearly roasted inside, bc we had to be covered from the insects.
Two hours later, at the ass crack of dawn 4:30am, we wake up to see the sunrise on the Ganges. So tired. Concrete floors are never too comfortable.

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