Since the second parcel hadn't arrived yet, Ernest didn't want to wait
in Patna. Instead, he suggested cycling to Varanasi and back, which
was over 500 kilometres. By then, I had enough of the dreadful traffic
and felt it was unnecessary to put ourselves in harm's way.
Patna - Ara – 65 km
Whatever I suggested wasn’t good enough and, eventually, we took
off through the traffic. As anticipated, Ernest was knocked off the
road by a truck. Luckily, there was run-off space, and he managed to
keep the bike under control. Unfortunately, the remainder of the ride
was marred by equally stressful traffic until reaching Ara.
Ara – Buxar – 74 km
In the morning, TV and newspaper reporters waited outside. After a
lengthy interview and filming, we were finally on our way. Traffic
remained dangerously hectic, and the best part of the day was finding
the Tourist Bungalow in Buxar, a friendly place with good, clean
rooms. The room had a tiny balcony providing both air and light. Add
the melodious chanting from a nearby temple, and I couldn’t be
happier.
Buxar - Varanasi – 135 km
Ernest and I were constantly at odds and cycled in near silence,
which wasn't the vibe I needed in my life. Moreover, the horrendous
traffic and poor road conditions didn’t do much for my already dark
mood. Arriving late in Varanasi, a chaotic town at the best of times,
left me positively fuming! Varanasi, a substantial and congested city
with narrow and confusing alleys, wasn’t the place I wanted to be
right then.