OzBus 14

Leaving Delhi – more so the hotel than the city – wasn’t popular for the group, but is expected as part of the tour.  As we get into Agra, the first thing that strikes you is the traffic.  Delhi was crazy, but organised and almost civilised over the time that the city has had to develop.  Agra was still at its roots as a developing city – manic and exhilarating!

Once at the hotel, we realise that the town is sparse; hardly anything on the street we’re situated on, no banks, restaurants, shops or people.  Luckily for some of us, we manage to find a group of tuk-tuk’s that can take us to see the Taj Mahal at sunset.  You normally have to pay to see the Taj, but the drivers knew a spot that you could see the building from behind, with no additional cost.  Take note, because of the traffic previously mentioned, the drivers of all sorts – tuk-tuk’s, cars, tractors, bulls, etc. – are crazy.

When we arrive at the site, the sun is out of view.  The Taj, however, was in full view and gave us all a taste of what was to come in the morning.  The site itself was a small embankment fenced off from the river that runs around the grounds of the Taj.  The area was crawling with mosquitos and other fortunate tourists that had found out about the spot.  The back door of the Taj looked amazing and, for the first time (for some), gave us the first real sense that we were in India.

Heading back was more of an ordeal than surviving the journey there.  Traffic had escalated to near gridlock, with us stuck on a single road bridge and the opposing traffic trying to squeeze past.  Our patience stretched and lungs full of fumes, we eventually get out of the gridlock and head for dinner.  The tuk-tuk drivers take us to a local – mediocre food, nothing special for us.  The journey was a lot more interesting that the food.  After dinner, we visit a bar for a few beers.  The place seemed as dodgy as the drivers themselves, so it wasn’t long till we decided to call it a night and head back to the hotel.

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