Haridwar

Whilst eating an early morning breakfast after a night train, we saw this elephant walking down the road.

Jason was about to head for the bus station to find out it was a 13 hour bus trawl ( that obviously would become 15) to our next destination Gangotri. In the short walk to the bus station, Jason saw a horse go beserk in the road and throw the 15 odd people, paying to sit on its cart backwards, onto the road.

The Har Ki Pairi Ghats are designed and maintained for peak pilgrim bathing volume because there are a lot of Indians who consider it a right of passage to go here.

This is the view from one of two temples on cable-car serviced hills in town. Both of these were exceptionally underwhelming with one qualifying for the term "Two small room building site."

These two boys flung themselves off the bridge to bathe in the Ganges. Jason couldn't believe the speed that these boys shot down the water.  This river is moving very fast. We think they lived.

Lots of people come here to bathe ceremonially in the Ganges, you can see that there are chains just below the surface so that they can grab onto them and not be swept away.

Its a whole days activity, sitting around and covering yourself in face make up and beads.

We think lots of them are stoned by the length of time it takes to decorate oneself....and the amount of weirdos who would pop up to us and try and sell us drugs.

These pretty flowers are everywhere in town.  Some flowers are in green boat shapes that are then lit and sent sailing down the river at night.

India has great curd (yoghurt) and this man makes alot of it.

The evening activity down by the Ganges was very interesting,

Hundreds flock to burn flower filled boats along the Ganges and sing along with each other.

This man has no control and is about to set the other man's hair on fire.

It was total chaos and we still aren't quite sure what went on. A lot of bells were rung, a bit of water was thrown around, everyone chanted, people kept trying to set there hair on fire, and we all left really happy at what a great place the world is.

This Sheriff of Nottingham look-a-like seemed to hold a fairly high religious position but he still wouldn't stop staring at Claire.  Yuk.