We took a taxi 80 kms upriver to join our crew...
In many places the banks of the river are very sandy...
So we had to cross the streams...
And sand to reach the main river...
This boy was pushing his bike across the sand so we can see how vast it is...
We were welcomed with flower garlands which is very typical in India...
The boats called paals were not fancy, just little wooden boats built by the men that sailed them who came from a village about two hours away from where we launched...
We had two passenger boats and a kitchen boat...
When the wind was up and we could catch a current we sailed...
Or drifted...
Each boat also had two men who steered and rowed the boat when necessary and it looked to be hard work!
Here our man is rowing under a makeshift bridge which replaced one taken out by the monsoons...
Here was the new one being built...
When he wasn’t rowing he was dressed like this and didn’t look too well, Don’s theory is that he had a hangover as he looked better the next day!
This part of the river is very rural so we didn’t see a lot of people, however here are some of them going about their daily lives...
It must have been laundry day....
Then there were the daily baths...
By midday we were hungry so we tied up to a bridge and the kitchenboat served us a delicious lunch...
The cook cleaning the rice...
His helper...
Our lunch...
As we went along we saw some fishermen...
The water was so calm here...
It was soon time to stop for the evening before the sun went down...
These brothers were on the bank to greet us and to practice their English...
The sunset was spectacular...
Catching the Indian sun...
Setting up camp...
Our accommodation for the night...
It was cozy but the zipper didn’t close so the Ganges mosquitoes kept us company as well as very loud music, also typical Indian, which went on til 4:30am.
An early rise for chai...
A yoga session with our tour leader...
Then off on the river for another 30km or so to Varanasi...
Our rower took us close to people cleaning up from the night’s cremations...
Here he is putting the ashes back in the river...
The leftovers...
There were lots of kids at home in the river...
Jumping off the bridges...
Young and old enjoying themselves...
Some homes by the river...
The faces of our crew...
Our youngest rower at 17, they are small but mighty...
By late afternoon the second day we were approaching Varanasi...
And back to dry land...
Another adventure to remember...we will not soon forget the holy Ganges!
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