It was an extremely early start on Wednesday morning to go to Agra. The auto picked me up at 05.50 to take me to the train station. I always find it a bit disconcerting when my auto driver decides to cross over the crash barrier and begin driving against oncoming traffic. There are some things they do in India and I have resigned myself to the fact that I will never understand. This being a prime example!!!!! Arriving at the train station and going through the usual madness trying to find some space to walk without tripping over a railway dog or worse still a person lying on the ground......the best bit about the trains for me is when you sit in your designated seat and in your carriage people start arguing with each other cos they go to their designated seat only to find someone else sitting in it.....it is really quite comical watching them argue. The trains are so busy and crowded but very eventful, even if it is just the men walking up and down selling Chai, water, crisps and the little performing kids who put on a little show, so hard to resist them!!
Arriving in Agra as with any place, I am completely bombarded by taxi and rickshaw drivers. Mr Singh was first in line and grabbed my attention. For a relatively small price this Sikh guy and his driver just drive me from the different attractions and wait for me in between. The initial introductions are the same as with every new Indian you meet, your name? From where? age? occupation?..... Mr. Singh tells me that he will treat me like his own daughter!! Our first stop was the infamous Taj Mahal! Mr Singh left me off at the west gate and gave me clear instructions to meet him back at that same place in two hours. Vehicles are not allowed to go right up to the gate in order to preserve the Taj so it was a 10-15 minute walk to the gate. So off I set having been warned by Mr.Singh 'Remember Jane, no rickshaws, no food and no guides, they will try to rip you off!'
The Taj was beautiful. It was busy and we were herded like sheep inside. I was asked my some Indians if they could take my picture. This always makes me laugh. Random people who just want a picture of themselves standing beside a white person!!! Sharing my amusement was a Dutch guy who was standing back observing the photo shoot! This guy and I got talking and he and his companion joined me then for the rest of our visit to the Taj. They were pleasant chaps and I was imparting some advise as they were about to travel to Varanasi!!! After our tour we bid farewell and wished each other a pleasant trip! I set off to find Mr.Singh and as per usual my sense of direction was terrible and I took the wrong gate out of the Taj which meant I had a long walk back to meet Mr.Singh. Even though I was very late he was still waiting for me, as promised!!
Mr. Singh like every other one of his kind, took me to extremely expensive emporiums where they pressure you into buying things that even if you did have the money, you really don't need!! He gets commission on anything you buy in these stores. He didn't make anything out of me that day but I enjoyed some complimentary cups of tea!!! I was taken to a nice restaurant for lunch where I met two southern Irish girls who were being chauffeured round for the day also. Again they were heading to Varanasi!!! After lunch and numerous shops where I had to pretend to be interested in what they were trying to sell me, I was taken to the Agra Fort. This was another amusing experience where numerous groups of young lads asked could they take my photo. This photo shoot lasted about an hour by the time they all got their photo taken with me individually but I didn't mind cos they were pleasant and seemed to be really enjoying themselves!!! They were so funny and we had such a good laugh together! Mr Singh dropped me off at the train station where I bumped into the same guys!!! They gave me a box of sweets, very charming!!
It had been a long day and I fell asleep on the train. When I woke in Delhi I had no voice!!! My cold had been quite bad and my voice a bit croaky but it had gone now and it was a challenge trying to negotiate with the auto drivers to get me home!!!! Just a few days more in Delhi and then off to Bangalore!!!!! It is hard to believe I have been here for nearly a month already. And now I try to process my thoughts and feelings about India. One doesn't leave India unchanged or unaffected by it and if one does, one has not truly experienced the real India!!!!!!! I am excited about the next chapter in my travels!!!!
Arriving in Agra as with any place, I am completely bombarded by taxi and rickshaw drivers. Mr Singh was first in line and grabbed my attention. For a relatively small price this Sikh guy and his driver just drive me from the different attractions and wait for me in between. The initial introductions are the same as with every new Indian you meet, your name? From where? age? occupation?..... Mr. Singh tells me that he will treat me like his own daughter!! Our first stop was the infamous Taj Mahal! Mr Singh left me off at the west gate and gave me clear instructions to meet him back at that same place in two hours. Vehicles are not allowed to go right up to the gate in order to preserve the Taj so it was a 10-15 minute walk to the gate. So off I set having been warned by Mr.Singh 'Remember Jane, no rickshaws, no food and no guides, they will try to rip you off!'
The Taj was beautiful. It was busy and we were herded like sheep inside. I was asked my some Indians if they could take my picture. This always makes me laugh. Random people who just want a picture of themselves standing beside a white person!!! Sharing my amusement was a Dutch guy who was standing back observing the photo shoot! This guy and I got talking and he and his companion joined me then for the rest of our visit to the Taj. They were pleasant chaps and I was imparting some advise as they were about to travel to Varanasi!!! After our tour we bid farewell and wished each other a pleasant trip! I set off to find Mr.Singh and as per usual my sense of direction was terrible and I took the wrong gate out of the Taj which meant I had a long walk back to meet Mr.Singh. Even though I was very late he was still waiting for me, as promised!!
Mr. Singh like every other one of his kind, took me to extremely expensive emporiums where they pressure you into buying things that even if you did have the money, you really don't need!! He gets commission on anything you buy in these stores. He didn't make anything out of me that day but I enjoyed some complimentary cups of tea!!! I was taken to a nice restaurant for lunch where I met two southern Irish girls who were being chauffeured round for the day also. Again they were heading to Varanasi!!! After lunch and numerous shops where I had to pretend to be interested in what they were trying to sell me, I was taken to the Agra Fort. This was another amusing experience where numerous groups of young lads asked could they take my photo. This photo shoot lasted about an hour by the time they all got their photo taken with me individually but I didn't mind cos they were pleasant and seemed to be really enjoying themselves!!! They were so funny and we had such a good laugh together! Mr Singh dropped me off at the train station where I bumped into the same guys!!! They gave me a box of sweets, very charming!!
It had been a long day and I fell asleep on the train. When I woke in Delhi I had no voice!!! My cold had been quite bad and my voice a bit croaky but it had gone now and it was a challenge trying to negotiate with the auto drivers to get me home!!!! Just a few days more in Delhi and then off to Bangalore!!!!! It is hard to believe I have been here for nearly a month already. And now I try to process my thoughts and feelings about India. One doesn't leave India unchanged or unaffected by it and if one does, one has not truly experienced the real India!!!!!!! I am excited about the next chapter in my travels!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment