Yesterday was our Agra trip to the Taj! We woke up way too early so we took the time to pack. We had to meet our bus at the Metropolitan Nikko so off to a tuk tuk and the streets were almost dead (well....as dead as it gets here) and it was a 10 min trip tops. Our bus was to be there at 6:15 and it was only 5:30am. So we figured we'd have chai, no breakfast as that was supposed to be included on the tour. Well the place was pretty fancy, so we figured it's be a rip off and were playing "guess how much we'll get screwed" on the price. Our top guess was 100 rp for 2 cups. Bad chai...no masala. They charged us 350!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad we didn't order breakfast! Well we waited, and waited, and waited, asked personel, staff, other people who were waiting, NO BUS. BUT they did offer us a private car....for $350 USD! Yeah....think not. Called Raju and he talked obout getting a bus which would have been fine, but we had to go back to the hotel to get breakfast anyways. (best not to take chances with the street food). Off in the tuk tuk to the Ajanta. Talked to staff....$118 for a private A/C car for the 13 hour trip. All inclusive of toll booth fees etc. Talked them down to $100. Done! We ate breakfast and we were off! Didn't really want to then head to the bus depot etc. so this was easier.
On the way we were stoppd by cows crosing the road, saw a couple of camels, one pulling a cart and a 20 foot Hanumaan. Two goat herds and herders and the farmland looks a heck of alot like home! Minus the little huts. Going through the 'Indian prairies' tho there is alot more to look at!
The roadside temples are everywhere....some are almost huge monuments in themselves, some are small and sweet, but all are like fingerprints. No two alike! Wish we could get better pix, but if we stopped for every one (they are every couple of miles or so, give or take) we would never get to the taj, so we have to be happy with the memories of them and maybe the super quick glimpses caught on video. The tuk tuks out of town are a little bit bigger, but not buy much and if you've ever seen the joke cartoon 'The Singhsons' (sp) there really are 12 people or more on one of these things! I'll never be overly impressed with circus acrobats again! And at speeds going down the highway!!!
We stoped at a gov't stop for utter pradesh for travel taxes. Our driver got out and I pretended to sleep. The touts were relentless! Monkeys on sticks "Take picture maam! Nice picture!!!" "Necklace, looks good on you!! Where are you from?? Necklace!!! Cheap! Good price!!" Couldn't wait to get outta there, As we left we saw them all at the tourbus windows! All the way there were tons of dhabas all with tinsel and posters of movie stars and adds for various cell phone networks and soda. The coke/pepsi wars are here too! All this before 12:15!!!!!
Why do I know this was 12:15?? That's when the tire blew!! We apparently were quite interesting viewing for some of the locals who watched the chubby white Indian girl with the farang male. LOL
Stopped to fix the spar and let out a fly that had been making me nuts. Delhi fly relocated to Utter Pradesh, free of charge for the ride!
1:38 : 5 to a bike, more camels and now monkeys! All the ladies no matter how poor all have such vibrant colors. Minor stop with cops checking out buses, back on the road again.
Akbar’s tomb was beautiful as a precurser to the Taj and about 40 school kids in little uniforms all ran up to us to say Hello! Hello!!! And shake our hands …they all wanted to touch us it was so cute! They were facinated with my henna, my outfit and our special glow in the dark skin tone! They were just adorable!!!
The Taj….breathtaking! We waited in line, found out it was the wrong line, and saw a small riot on the way out! My time is getting short (as you can tell) ask me later or I’ll try to fill in the details on Sunday!!
Driver tries to get us to see his cousin’s hotel "Just 5 mins!" Nope, Raju is picking us up in the morning, back to Delhi only! He’s displeased!
Second flat in the dark close to delhi…almost home! Will write more later! Gotta go!!
1 comment:
So happy to read your posts. Make sure u see Akshardham while you are in Delhi.
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