Hanging at the Taj

  Agra, India
Monday, September 10, 2007

India is wonderful for lots of things... the food, the culture, the sites, but it is definitely not wonderful for being hungover.  It's hot and loud and we just can't seem to find a quiet place anywhere in Agra, nor does there seem to be ac anywhere in the city. But really, I am not complaining because I think the fact that we're hungover at the Taj is pretty incredible and so are the events leading up to it, so all in all, this momentary unpleasant feeling couldn't be more worth it.

During breakfast in Delhi a few days ago we saw another young couple eating that seemed pretty cool and without even talking to them, decided they'd make good trave companions for a couple of days.  So yes, I was that girl and went right up to them and asked them if they'd been to the Taj yet, and if not, would they like to join us.  It may seem ridiculous but that's just how the backpacker culture is here... and yes, it suits me perfectly.  We ended up talking forever and they had very similar plans as us- one-way ticket to India, some trekking in the Himalayas, followed by SE Asia and ending up in New Zealand. Couldn't be more perfect, right?  Sure enough, yesterday morning we were all at the Delhi station trying to figure out how the hell we were supposed to find our train amidst all of the people, Indian writing, and smells I can only compare to a hot, baking, outhouse.  Oh yeah, the "bathrooms" in the trains are just holes that dump out into the tracks, which is a little more okay when the train is running, but of course no one realizes that maybe they shouldn't go while the train is in the station. That, or they just don't care.  Well, like I said we finally figured it out after much pointing and hoping and after a very entertaining train ride we made it to our guesthouse in Agra.  

Sunset across the river

We hired a rickshaw to take us to this place over the river which we heard was the best spot for a sunset view of the Taj and it definitely was... we sat on this grassy field and watched the Taj turn pink as the sun set behind the river.  I'd try to describe it, but there is no way.

Kids playing at sunset

After our ridiculous rickshaw ride back to the hotel (rickshaw rides deserve their very own entry by the way) we were in dire need of a beer, or 13 as it turns out.  We went over to a great rooftop restaurant and sat for hours drinking lots of kingfisher (the taste is definitely growing on us by the way, especially when a 650ml bottle is less than two dollars) and making plans to meet up again in a few days somewhere else.

Beers on the rooftop

As the restaurant was closing around us, we realized that maybe we should stumble back to the hotel, seeing as they had a 6am train ride and we were hoping to wake up at the same time and catch sunRISE (yes, I said sunrise) at the Taj, which we did by the way!  Hence the hangover... but like I said, well, well worth it.

Sunrise at the Taj

Sunrise was even more amazing than sunset.  We sat on the steps by ourselves for half an hour just watching the colors on the buildings change. If you ever make it here, by all means sunrise is the way to go. The colors are the best, it's not too hot, and it's quiet because all the mobs and tours haven't woken up yet.  

Watching the sun rising from the Taj

It was just one of those moments that... ahh... well, maybe you'll get an idea from the pictures, but here is just another time when my words don't suffice in describing the absolute sheer beauty that we saw.

Intricate designs on the Taj

And now we're here, at an internet cafe during the heat of the day, finally feeling better after some greasy Indian food and mentally preparing ourselves for our first overnight train to the town of Udaipur.  

The view from our hotel

Wish us luck... we decided to stop eating after 3pm to avoid any Delhi Belly in the trains... so yeah, wish us luck one more time ;)