Allahabad and the Kumbh Mela

March 1,2013: The train arrived in Allahabad at 5am. A van was waiting to take us to our tents. Christine and Bridget (friends from Norway) are sharing. but since Neil and I each paid for our own room, the rest of us have our own tents. (Gavin gets his own without paying for it since there's no one left to share with)The tents are huge- 3 rooms plus a private bathroom with Western toilet behind. We were able to wash and brush our teeth right away - so nice after the sleeper train. Then we had buffet breakfast at a little place under a canapé: fried Indian pancakes, Indian potato curry, corn flakes, and white bread toast. Also coffee or chai. The chai is really good here- lots of cardamom.
After breakfast, we took a walk by the river. Then we were driven into town to see the home of Nehru. It wasn't nearly as interesting as the Gandhi museum, but it had a bookstore and i bought Gandhi's autobiography. My Kindle isn't working so i need a book to read on the boat tomorrow. I was annoyed because it's always impossible tp get change here. The book cost 45 rupees. I gave the man a 100 rupee bill. He said he had no change. Gavin was behind me and talking to me. The man told me to pay for mine and Gavin's so it would be 90 rupees. At least I got a 10 rupee note in change. (Good for tips-which you need constantly) We had lunch at a restaurant in town.
The weather was very cool in the morning, but got quite hot in the afternoon. We rested in the tents in the afternoon.
At 4:00 we walked over to the Kumbh Mela festival by the river. We are constantly passing stray cows and bulls who just wander the streets. People just ignore them. Today, one put his head down and went after me with his horns. I think it's because my jacket was dangling from my arm. I scooted away quickly. I think it may have looked worse from far away because I knew he didn't touch me, but Neil said, "Did you not feel that? He came after you" Then the bull was digging his horns down kind of angry. We walked away. At the Kumbh Mela, there were many people but the biggest crowds have left. There were families sitting on the ground. People swam in the Ganges. We got some nice photos. Then we walked back to have dinner (Indian buffet) At dinner everyone was laughing that I got chased by a bull on my birthday. It seems it looked more dangerous to them than it felt to me. 

We stayed in Ritz India tents.