We came to Rishikesh to do yoga. And although there is lots of yoga to do, we left, feeling pretty disappointed and bored.

It felt to us as though Rishikesh is all about making money from yoga. "Spirituality for sale" I like to call it... Almost everywhere puts their energy into a TTC (Teacher training course) but the drop-in classes are largely ignored. We did classes at 5 different places, and found that there were only beginner classes on offer. Almost every day the advanced or intermediate classes were cancelled, or simply weren't offered at all. Maybe it was because we were there at the start of the off season, but it seemed everywhere we enquired about advanced or intermediate classes tried to push us towards a TTC (which I already have).

It was also a strange place. We are firm believers in “When in Rome, do and wear as the Romans”. In Rishikesh it is common to see people wearing malas and bindis and looking all “yogic and spiritual” and then wearing tight fitting, short, revealing clothes. Everyday we saw nipples, penises, bum cracks… All in a country that covers up. It was just so contradictory. Sure, at a music festival it would have looked great! But in India.... It was just strange.

So, after more than enough mediocre yoga classes, and too many western meals, we decided to leave Rishikesh and continue our yoga practice on our own. Gypsy has started getting into yoga lately too which is simply, too adorable for words.
Time to head to the Himalayas for some reprieve from the heat!

Rishikesh is famous for different reasons to different groups of people. To Indians, it is a holy place where the Ganges emerges from the Himalayas. Every day, but especially on weekends, thousands of domestic tourists flock to Rishikesh to pay respect to, and to bath in the Ganges. River rafting is also popular now and raft after raft, full of Indian tourists float down the rapidly flowing river, occasionally with everybody jumping overboard for a quick blessing. It is also where they come to gain blessings from the many deities at the many temples and ashrams around the area.

To Yogis and Yoginis, Rishikesh is the mecca of all things Yoga. Especially Hatha yoga. There are so many Ashrams, and drop-in yoga classes, shop after shop selling yoga clothes and the type of cliché funky “indian” clothing worn to and from yoga class in the west. I can’t even count the number of places it is possible to do a TTC (Teacher training course)!. And then there are the chill-out cafes offering everything western and everything yogi.

For the non-yogi tourist, Rishikesh is famous as the place where the beatles stayed and wrote some of their most famous songs, including the entire "white album."

Just before you enter the Ashram is a little park with the most gentle monkeys I’ve ever seen. They literally take the food out of your hands one peanut at a time. But they don’t fight for the right to be fed by you. They patiently wait their turn. The epitomy of “Shanti” (peace). 

Although the ashram itself has since closed down, you can still visit the Ashram grounds today. We visited a lot of Ashrams in Rishikesh, but wow. The Maharishi Mahesh Ashram (or Beatles Ashram) as it is locally known, was another world. I can only imagine how peaceful and beautiful a place it must have been in it’s prime. 

I want one of these dome meditation rooms!!

On top of the main Ashram building you get an amazing view over all of Rishikesh.

Even the graffiti was tasteful and awe-inspiring!

It was a hot day, and quite a walk, but it was absolutely worth it. 

The guard told us next year they are going to start rebuilding it and turning part of it into luxury accommodation, and the other part into another Ashram. I just hope they are able to retain the wonderful feeling of peace and calm that it currently has.

Everybody knows India is hot. We also knew India would be hot. We were prepared for it! We are Australian after all! A little heat is fine.....
And then we arrived... And we learnt that 43C is something not to be sneezed at..
It is literally so hot that sneezing hurts your nose...
So! We decided to rent a scooter and visit a nearby waterfall for a bit of a reprieve from the Rishikesh heat.

The drive out of Rishikesh was just beautiful. It really is just such a picturesque place. The beautiful Ganges flowing through the foothills of the himalayas.... It doesn't get much more amazing.

The waterfall was pretty easy to find, and actually surprisingly easy to access. We were able to ride our scooter almost all the way to the top, and then walk the last 100 m or so. From the small swimming hole you can also continue up higher to the larger water hole.

The water in the waterfall was ICE cold. Almost too cold to swim in! It was freezing! But oh so so refreshing!! The perfect way to escape the crazy heat!! 
It was a nice place for a picnic aswell. And to people watch! Cute couples on dates all over the place. Sharing potato chips and taking selfies together...

It's the perfect place to relax and lower your body temperature. 
Until you have to leave and then literally 5 minutes later you are over-heating again... 
Welcome to India!

Road trip!

Our trip to India freakishly matched the dates one of our good friends was visiting aswell! So, as good friends do, we hitched a ride with them up to Rishikesh for a couple of days!

Travelling is ALWAYS fun, but it’s so amazing when you can rekindle with really great friends for a couple of days and explore somewhere new together!!

The drive was mostly uneventful. It was a real luxury to be in a car after 2 months in a tuktuk!! 
We did find the "flora" interesting though...

Yes, that is what it appears to be. Weed, growing as a weed by the side of the road. And not just in one small patch either, for kilometres on end!! 

Apparently even though it grows wild, it is still illegal to chop it down and sometimes policemen will hide in it waiting for someone to try to!?! Indian logic at it's best.. There is sooo much, they could make a lot of hemp clothing or rope etc if they wanted to!