Suresh, our driver, picked Craig and I up at 5am to begin our long five-hour drive to Agra. He had already picked up Nidhi, so she was in the car waiting for us. I was immediately fascinated by the scenery on our way out of Gurgaon and all the interesting people and animals I could see from my window. I can't even remember how many times I saw random animals on the side of the road and screamed out in excitement when Nidhi just laughed at me. The most exciting moment was when I finally saw a monkey. I know they are not really animals you want to hang around, but it was still exciting to finally see one. We also saw about ten million cows, a heard of goats and sheep, a handful of peacocks, a wild boar or two, and a weasel. Yes, a weasel. It was like driving through a zoo for Craig and I. However, not so exciting for Nidhi and Suresh.
We stopped over for coffee and breakfast at a little tourist trap midway through our ride. The souvenirs were a tad overpriced, so I held off, but the coffee was delicious and just what I needed. We continued on, staring out the windows, gasping in fright as the cars and motorbikes came within inches of hitting us (ok, maybe that was just me), all while listening to Suresh singing along to his Hindi music. Finally, we made it to our destination. First stop, Taj Mahal.
The second we stepped foot outside of the car, we were immediately surrounded by people wanting to give us camel or rickshaw rides, buy Taj Mahal trinkets, or guide us through the building. Luckily, Suresh and Nidhi just pushed past them, yelled at them in Hindi, and pulled us along. We walked up to the gate (which was in-and-of-itself, a beautiful structure) and bought tickets to view the Taj. Foreigners paid in a separate line where we were charged Rs. 500 more than Indians, making it a grand total entry fee of Rs. 750 (~16 USD).
Your first view of the Taj Mahal is to die for. I don't think I've ever seen anything so beautiful. Suresh, Nidhi, Craig, and I all took turns taking pictures in front of the building. Then we walked down closer, took off our shoes (or put on shoe covers), and entered the building. Everything is made of white marble. There are beautiful semi-precious stones inlaid in the marble, carvings of flowers along the base, and calligraphy inlaid on the walls.
Posing with Suresh
Camel rides to the Taj
After this, Suresh took us through the market to a marble shop. I'm pretty sure he specifically took us to this place, because he has a deal with the owners and gets a cut of the money if we actually purchase anything. However, Suresh genuinely wants us to have a good time, so I don't fault him for this. The man in charge put on a great show, telling us this shop is owned by a family who are descendants of the original Taj Mahal creators and so on and so forth. He had some gorgeous merchandise and after Nidhi bargained me a 25% discount, I managed to walk away with some lovely gifts. On the way out, we were immediately accosted by beggars and street boys. Nidhi, again, searched out some jewelry and bargained for me before I could even speak up. This would have been quite the difficult experience without her!
Next up, the Red Fort. After paying our entrance fee (cheaper this time, as we had already paid the foreigner surcharge), we hired a guide to take us around this still-active fort. Again, Nidhi's bargaining skills took the guide from Rs 3,000 down to Rs. 300 for his services. He walked us around, talking about the different parts of the forts and who ruled over them: Akbar, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb. Shah Jahan, who had the Taj Mahal build for this favorite wife—Mumtaz Mahal—upon her death, also had a room of mirrors build for her at the Red Fort as a wedding gift. When Shah Jahan was in his later years, Aurangzeb (his son) arrested him and had him locked in the tower that faced the Taj Mahal, so he could see Mumtaz Mahal every day.
Tower where Shah Jahan was imprisoned
Nidhi and I on the ambassador's seat
By this point, we were starving. I was told that I had to go to the Oberoi Hotel for lunch/dinner while in Agra. Apparently, this wasn't as easy to find as we imagined and Suresh spent a good 15 minutes driving around and asking for directions. Finally, we found it. A gorgeous, five-star hotel with an amazing restaurant. Lunch was herb-crusted chicken with couscous, tzatziki, and naan. By this point, my legs were ready to fall off and I was about to drop from the heat, so the Oberoi was a lovely respite from our journey.
Bliss.
Buying cloth, rose petals, and string to dedicate to Shaikh Salim Chisti
Buying marble souvenirs with our guide
After the tuk-tuk ride back to the car, I think we were all ready to go home. I felt bad for poor Suresh. You could tell he was tired, but we still had a full 5–6 hours left before we would reach home. We stopped back at the same tourist locale on the way home for some coffee and naan, then headed the rest of the way back. After the excitement, sun, and constant fighting with beggars, I was completely tuckered out and just slept most of the way back.
Side note: the beggars and street vendors are so aggressive here! They will follow you for miles if they think there's a chance you will buy something. One woman continuously followed us with her baby, crying that she needed money. Another little boy kept knocking on our windows, asking for American money. The ironic thing is, if they weren't so aggressive, I'd probably go into their shops and actually purchase items. However, I'm so stressed by the pressure, I just prefer to keep walking, ignoring them the whole time.
I am home now and ready to sleep. A new roommate arrives in the morning and my current roommate, Craig, leaves in the afternoon. I wonder if the new guy will be as enthralled by the animals as I have been…
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