Varanassi (24/26 Jan 1998)

		Varanassi is over 1,000 years old and is one of India's most important pilgramage sites.

		The old city lines the west bank of the Ganges with a series of steps down to the river called Ghats.
		Used for bathing, washing and burning there are over 100 Ghats in the town.

		Inside the town are a number of interesting temples like the one you can see on the right.

		Dying in Varanassi is said to provide a direct route to heaven which explains the poularity of the two burning Ghats.

		Just 10 Km away is Saranath, the place where the Budha gave his first sermon some 2,500 years back.

		Heading North from Varanassi we pass through Gorakhpur before crossing the Nepalese border on the small road between Taulihawa and Nautanwa which can be seen on the map.

		A fruit stall we passed on our way.
		Gorakhpur is very busy as this traffic jam shows.

		We stopped for lunch on the road.
		And crossed the border in the late afternoon.

After an overnight stop on the Nepalese side of the border we continued North West towards Pokhara our next port of call.

		The scenery here is quite spectacular and after North India it looks really clean.
		The first water we have seen in a long time which could tempt you in.

		Some of the people we passed on our way.
		In just a few miles not only the scenery but also the people have radically changed.

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If you are interested in North Indian Food then why not visit Sue's Recipe Server, our other Web site.

South India Overland is the record of our journey through Southern India during January and February 1997.

Exploring Vietnam is the record of a journey through Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and beyond during March and April of 1999.

Copyright © Laurence Rogerson & Sue Powell 1998. North India & Nepal is designed and hosted by HubCom (UK).