Well, we can't let Claudia have all the fun. This is Anthony, chiming in for the first time on here. I just joined up with Claudia in Varanasi, and now that the jetlag has worn off and - so far - my guts are intact, it's time to get online.

I got to India on Saturday, after 3 days worth of flying and layovers. 15 hours in Hong Kong, by the way, is loads of fun - some rain kept me off Victoria Peak, but still I got to check out the Tsing Ma bridge, Central, and Kowloon (via the Star Ferry - a very nice wee boat ride).

This is my first time in Asia, and after landing in HK for a while I kept grinning and repeating "I'm in Asia. Ohmigod I'm in Asia." Landing in Delhi at 1:30 Saturday morning, I also got myself promptly ripped off by a taxi driver, but hey, at least now I better understand how they work. And besides, ohmigod, I'm in India.

Varanasi's airport is an odd place all its own, mainly in that it's the size of a one-story house. Outside there is the usual assortment of taxis and all-too-willing-to-help-drivers. A cab to the city centre was quoted anywhere between 300-370 rupees. Bugger that; I took the shuttle bus for 35. Somewhere just inside the northwest of town they threw us to the rickshaw drivers; mine carted me to the hotel for only 50 rupee, pretty fair for the distance, and only once did he make a mistake and wonder if I, ahem, wanted to "at least have a look" at another hotel.

According to Claudia, Varanasi has been pretty tame today. It's Sunday, and walking around the main drags there's been little hassle and touting, as almost all the shops were closed. We could even walk around without too much crazy dodging and swerving, even with all the cows out for their Sunday walks.

It's been hot, but not sweltering. People approach, but it's no worries; over the past day I've gotten very good at the word "no". Traveling with Claudia is also fun - of course we're just getting underway - but so far I'm digging her company more than traveling solo. We both take care of ourselves and look after each other well, plus I dig knowing that I don't have to worry about her (though I'm sure there are times she's concerned about pulling me out of my dream world so a cow doesn't run me over).