The difference between push and punish
Trip Start
Apr 12, 2005
1
10
104
Trip End
??? ??, 2006
New Delhi,
India
Friday, May 6, 2005
So, looked at a flight to Goa which will cost me $250 - to be honest Nepal is still a bit unstable and I can't be doing with any more of these damn uncomfortable long journeys, it's one thing experiencing a country but I don't see why I should suffer. I have coined a phrase 'there's a million miles and two letters between pushing and punishing yourself'
My 'Lady Di' pose at t'Taj Mahal
. So I reckon I'm gonna splash out and head down to Goa, I reckon I've saved enough money over the last few weeks.....First I went to Agra with Pamela from Vancouver - it wasn't as horrible as we'd been told, slightly cleaner and less smelly than Delhi. We went to Jama Masjid, an old mosque in need of major upkeep - basically it was a dump, the guidebook doen't mention that. And the floor was so hot that I burnt my feet cos we had to take our shoes off - it's a wonder the huge amounts of birdshit didn't provide a layer of insulation against the heat. Next was the Red Fort, which had sixteen palaces including one where Shah Jahan, the guy who built the Taj Mahal (not single-handedly) was imprisoned by his son for spending so much money on his OWN tomb - bit of a drastic way to stop him spending money methinks. By now it was so hot that my feet were rubbed to ribbons so the blessed Pamela suggest we swap sandals - bliss. (Until later when I realised I was on my way back to Delhi still wearing them, prompting cries of 'follow that rickshaw!' to try and catch them up).
At lunch we had the dubious delights of the strangest vegetable kebab I ever saw i.e. deep-fried potato balls with green and orange bits plus the bonus of a fly in the batter. I know I like my protein but even I baulked at that.
At 5.30 we went to the Taj Mahal, apparently sunset and sunrise are the best times to see it but that would be without the dark skies and rain, I guess, you don't really get the effect of the sun finding its way through those. However it was still quite nice to see, I have to admit at first sight it was a bit underwhelming, but after walking round for a while it grew on me a little. Sorry if that sounds a bit blase but that's how I felt, it wasn't the most spectacular sight I ever saw but I think the light may have something to do with that. And, the guard tried to stop us taking a picture of Moggers! What's all THAT about? Bloody crazy country.
