Day 9: Dog Attack (28th February 2017)

To be honest, the day was a complete waste of time. We were stuck in traffic for 1 hour on the way to the main train station, had to wait 3 hours at the tourist office for our ticket because the system had crashed, and didn't get back to our accommodation until around 6:00 PM.

In the evening, Jill and I wanted to finally have a peaceful conversation in German without feeling guilty. So we walked towards the city center to treat ourselves to a Lassi. Unfortunately, our favorite shop was closed, so we had to find an alternative. On the way back, it happened: In general, India is full of stray dogs. You encounter a small pack at every street corner. It's not uncommon to see dead, emaciated dogs lying on the street. They are all quite shy and scared, as Indians don't hesitate to beat them with a stick.

On the way back, it seemed like a large dog had singled us out. He initially just followed us, but then he also attacked us and didn't respond to shouts or commands. We couldn't tell if he was aggressive or just playing. When he grabbed my T-shirt with his mouth and started tearing it, we were lucky that Jill had her pepper spray, which eventually scared the dog away.

So the next day, we finally got out of the hustle and bustle and headed to beautiful Rishikesh, the place of gurus and ashrams, a pilgrimage site for many believers, the place of yoga, located right on the Ganges. I was looking forward to a few days of relaxation. But I certainly won't die of boredom there. Canyoning, whitewater rafting, and the annual Yoga Festival were waiting to be discovered.