Yatra in India - Day 6: Sick in Kushinagar

Thursday 26th January, 2012: (Tour Day 6)
Disaster struck today (India National Day). I was too sick to travel to Nepal, so I missed seeing Lumbini (where the Buddha was born), staying at the hotel instead. Sadly they charged me 4,500 rupees for the room and another 1,200 rupees for the taxi back to the train station that night (totalling US$154). Since I didn't have enough cash, and they didn't accept credit cards (how strange is that?), they took me by car to the nearest ATM machine several kilometres away. I also attempted to see the same doctor later, but the clinic was closed for the holiday.
My taxi got me to the train station at 20:00 and the driver rang the tour contact to advise this and confirm where I should wait. By 22:00 I was getting worried that I might miss the train (it was scheduled to leave then). Fortunately, at 22:30 someone turned up and got me on board - the last passenger to do so.

Yatra in India - Day 5: Kushinagar

Wednesday 25th January, 2012: (Tour Day 5)
I didn't sleep much on the train, so I felt quite weak after arriving at the hotel in Kushinagar. As there was some free time in the morning, I slept a couple of hours and then went to see a doctor at a local hospital. It is a charitable Thai Buddhist centre run on donations and offering free treatment to all. The doctor gave me four different tablets to take, including antibiotics, and charged only 45 rupees (less than US$1). I managed to walk around the Matha-Kuar Shrine (housing a 10th century bluestone Buddha statue from Gaya) and the Mahaparinirvan temple (where the Buddha passed into nirvana) - thinking I was almost ready to join him! – and then walked back to sleep for the rest of the afternoon. The temple, built in 1956, houses a great 1500-year-old statue of the Buddha resting in the lion’s pose. At dinner I had a small meal and gave in my papers for the Nepal visa. I was really hoping to feel better the next day.

Visit to Kushinagar

Wednesday 25th January, 2012: 


After some free time at the hotel in Kushinagar I managed to walk around the Matha-Kuar Shrine (housing a 10th century bluestone Buddha statue from Gaya) and the Mahaparinirvan temple (where the Buddha passed into nirvana) - thinking I was almost ready to join him! – and then walked back to sleep for the rest of the afternoon. The temple, built in 1956, houses a great 1500-year-old statue of the Buddha resting in the lion’s pose.