We arrived at Gaya Junction train station at 6.30am after 10 hours on the train from Kolkata. Leaving the morning circus of Gaya behind us, we hit the road for serene Bodygaya which was 30 minutes ride away via rikshaw.

After a short stand off between the rikshaw driver and myself over the tiresome “Sir - I have no change” conversation, he finally broke my 100 rupees note and we made our way in to Mohammad’s Guesthouse.

Mohammad’s House is located in a wonderful little local village with cheap rooms, a kitchen, an open roof top and lovely views of the sunset. I don’t think the other guesthouse options on the busy main road would of gave us the same experience. Highly recommended!

Indian tourists pay respect underneath the bodhi tree where Prince Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became Buddha some 2600 years ago.

After a quick shower and chai, we set off in to the hot hot mid day sun in search for the Mahabodhi Temple. The facade on the spire of the temple was certainly different to anything else I’ve seen before, looking rather futuristic and sci-fi in pattern design.

The Buddha trail continued, this time with 4 men and 1 motorbike, riding 12km north east of Bodhgaya to the Dungeshwari Cave, where Buddha spent 6 years of penance before descending on Bodhgaya.

It was a lovely motorbike journey, albeit a little tight on space, through little villages, dried river beds and lots of wide open space.

Onwards to Varanasi.