Hello! Our days in Varanasi were so busy that I haven’t yet had time to write anything about both of our trips to the Ganges, one at sunset on Sunday and one at sunrise on Monday. What a way to end this spectacular trip!
I am now at the Frankfurt Airport, waiting to board my flight to Chicago, which should happen in about 40 minutes. My plan is to write about the Ganges offline on the plane (after I finish watching “The Biggest Little Farm,” which I started on the flight from Delhi). Charlie and Diane were on that flight and now they head back to LA, so I said good-bye to them after we passed through security. (Diane is finally better now—-she ended up not being able to participate in any of the Varanasi activities because she was so sick. She even missed the farewell dinner. ☹️ Oh, and Mimi ended up being sick on the last day and I heard it was so bad that she had to be pushed around in a wheelchair at the Delhi Airport! ☹️ So grateful that my about of Delhi Belly only lasted one morning, and that it wasn’t that severe.)
Yesterday morning after we returned from the Ganges and had breakfast, etc., we listed to a short sitar and tabla (drum) performance by a musician and his nephew. It was really nice. Funny, too, because just when we thought it was the end and started clapping, they’d start up again with sneaky smiles. Paul whispered to me, “They really like endings,” which I thought was funny. Then we went to the airport and flew to Delhi, where we checked into an airport hotel in a very nice hotel/shopping area that didn’t look at all like the Delhi we’d seen at the beginning of our trip! On the bus ride to the Varanasi Airport, Abhi told us we’re one of the best groups he’d ever had, which I’m sure he says to every group but it was still nice to hear. ☺️ He repeated that you don’t come to India for the luxury, but for the experience. And he gave a special shout out to the women who traveled alone. Yay! He gave everyone a little Buddha statue with incense. Such a good guy, and he
loves his country.
Charlie and Diane and I walked to the mall, which was mostly restaurants, and wandered around. Then everyone but Mimi and Sharon went to Tim and Linda’s room for one last happy hour. It was, as always, a blast, but of course also bittersweet. Then we all had our last dinner (buffet) and said good-bye to those we wouldn’t be seeing in the morning for our departures. Seven of us were leaving Delhi around 3:30am so we had to meet in the lobby at midnight. The logistics of everything were handled very nicely! And now I’m here in a Frankfurt. Below are some photos from happy hour.
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| KK and Abhi |
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| Charlie, Tim, Diane, and I |
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| Fonda, Mark, and I |
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| Linda and I |
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Linda and a Tim at dinner. Instead of a “Reserved” sign,
there was a “Promised sign, which we got a kick out of! |
Diane and I at the mall |
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