18th October
Panic and jet lag set in last night.
Worrying about money and logistics and arachnids.
I did not sleep til daylight; was even listening to music on my mp3 at 4am. Just couldn't sleep.
Four out of our 13 have been ill... Bad night me.
But I zonked out with the sun and got two hours and managed to get up, get breakfast and checked out on time.
Four hour mini-bus journey Delhi to Agra....
was wonderful. But I didn't doze once..why??
The two hundred mile journey was on a new toll motorway through verdant agricultural land. So reminiscent of China. People working in the fields everywhere, the crops are just being harvested. Every corner is cultivated for as far as the eye can see. Peasants, villages and farms feeding the country. India works so hard and I am again very impressed. This may be third world but surely not for much longer.
Upon arrival at Agra we went straight to the Taj. Moving, beautiful, wonderful. Probably the most iconic building in the world and it did not disappoint.
The monument and grounds/park heaved with people almost all Indian/Asian; we stood out. And four times I was asked to pose and join in a selfie/photograph - simply because of my pale skin and blue eyes. Our whole party had a similar experience... Indians are lovely, happy, gentle, welcoming people.
Feeling so much better now. We had dinner at 8pm.. shame about the singer behind us, he entertained us (we were charged 7% for the pleasure) with Indian songs with so much reverb and echo it seemed to shake the floor. The billing is interesting: you get a price for the dish.. then you have to add VAT, then local tax, service tax then add swachh bharat and krishi kalan and your meal goes from 975 rupees to 1248. The pound value has hit us hard, everything is so much more expensive now than six months ago apparently. My simple goulash and rice tonight cost me, with a local beer over 20 pounds.
Money worries have sorted themselves out; my debit cards have been unblocked and I can at last get money.
And the room is spacious and luxurious... now for a decent night's sleep.
Happy me... oh yes, indeed.
Panic and jet lag set in last night.
Worrying about money and logistics and arachnids.
I did not sleep til daylight; was even listening to music on my mp3 at 4am. Just couldn't sleep.
Four out of our 13 have been ill... Bad night me.
But I zonked out with the sun and got two hours and managed to get up, get breakfast and checked out on time.
Four hour mini-bus journey Delhi to Agra....
was wonderful. But I didn't doze once..why??
The two hundred mile journey was on a new toll motorway through verdant agricultural land. So reminiscent of China. People working in the fields everywhere, the crops are just being harvested. Every corner is cultivated for as far as the eye can see. Peasants, villages and farms feeding the country. India works so hard and I am again very impressed. This may be third world but surely not for much longer.
Upon arrival at Agra we went straight to the Taj. Moving, beautiful, wonderful. Probably the most iconic building in the world and it did not disappoint.
The monument and grounds/park heaved with people almost all Indian/Asian; we stood out. And four times I was asked to pose and join in a selfie/photograph - simply because of my pale skin and blue eyes. Our whole party had a similar experience... Indians are lovely, happy, gentle, welcoming people.
Feeling so much better now. We had dinner at 8pm.. shame about the singer behind us, he entertained us (we were charged 7% for the pleasure) with Indian songs with so much reverb and echo it seemed to shake the floor. The billing is interesting: you get a price for the dish.. then you have to add VAT, then local tax, service tax then add swachh bharat and krishi kalan and your meal goes from 975 rupees to 1248. The pound value has hit us hard, everything is so much more expensive now than six months ago apparently. My simple goulash and rice tonight cost me, with a local beer over 20 pounds.
Money worries have sorted themselves out; my debit cards have been unblocked and I can at last get money.
And the room is spacious and luxurious... now for a decent night's sleep.
Happy me... oh yes, indeed.
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