Ch-ch-ch-changes !

I'm regressing as a blog writer. Instead of relaying info about day-by-day, let me tell you the most recent happenings. In typical India fashion, had a hurried, running-and-banging-on-the-door boarding of a bus out of McLeod Ganj on Sat, 6 June. Caught a (late) train to Varanasi from Chakki Bank. Picture this: metal tube in over 40* Celsius temp, no aircon, stewing in my own juices on the top berth, buying water and samosas through an open window, for almost 24 hours. The train was a frenzied transfer from Tibetan Buddhist India to Hindu India. Arriving in Varanasi (aka Benares) during the hottest part of the day, almost lost my two fellow travelers to the heat.
Hotel on the holy Mother Ganga and you can see the burning ghats where 24-hours a day cremation ceremonies are happening. Blessings everywhere, more temples than houses, the city drains you on every level. Second day the temp reached 44.9* Celsius. That's about 112* Fahrenheit for those of you in the U.S. Yesssssssssss. Blissed out sadus and overzealous touts. Made friends with a kid gang; I have four boyfriends and at least one husband waiting for me in this life or the next. Smeared with bindi blessings at a waterside-puja and rushed by a wheeling-and-dealing Brahman priest at the Golden Temple. We were going to go to Khajuraho, home of erotic temple scultptures, but remained stranded for 5 days because all trains and busses filled up with Indians on vacation. Had to catch a quick flight to Delhi instead.
Arriving in Dehi through a swath of duststorms and heat, but in comparison to the dreamworld that is sacred Varanasi, Delhi feels quite cool. Stayed in the Tibetan refugee colony for old-times-sake, ran into Asia in Paharganj, and all of a sudden my next two weeks are planned for solo adventures in the desert-state of Rajasthan.
Seriously. Asia (whose flying to ITALY on Monday morning) and I went to Jaipur and back today and tomorrow I hop on the first in a series of night trains that will take me to several cities in Rajasthan, including a camel safari outside Jaisalmer (near the Pak/Ind border). Camels and elephants. After about 10 days in Raj, I'm going to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, then through Delhi to Haridwar and potentially Rishikesh for some relaxation along the Ganga in the hills before flying out of this beautiful, whimsical country.
And then? AND THEN?!?
I've decided on finally going places I've been yearning to go for a long while. So, the hazy plan is to get myself to Istanbul, Turkey > Greece/Crete > Croatia > Southern Italy > Barcelona, Spain > Southern France > Ireland (via Amsterdam???).
A little ambitious and probably will not all happen, but let's just say that my first solo traveling starts tomorrow.

Here I go.