Onwards to Bihar


Today was a travel day. We arranged our luggage in the lobby of the hotel; porters materialised and started the procession through the alleys and passage ways from the ghat to the road. Then along the road, still in procession, to the coach. We had said goodbye to Ani Dolkar yesterday, and today we said a temporary goodbye to Egle, who was flying across India to attend a friend's wedding, and then will be rejoining us in a few days time. 

Then it was off to Bodh Gaya through the centre of Bodh. Lunch time provided its own share of interest. The truck stop we arrived at was on the opposite side of the road from which we were travelling with a concrete barrier between the lanes. No problem - onto the next junction and turn around to get to the pit stop. After a good meal, and lots of soft drinks, it was time to start our travels again. So off we went down the wrong side of the carriage way until we reached the junction where we had previously turned round. All parties, including oncoming traffic that was going the correct way, regarded this as normal practice. 

Arriving late at Bodh Gaya and went to explore the local area. One way from the hotel was the bustling centre of Bodh Gaya, while the other direction tailed off into a very poor looking area edging from the town into a rural area.  It was very apparent that Bihar was, as I had gathered, a very poor state, largely agricultural, and with a very high crime rate because of the poverty.