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The bus journey here was the worst yet! So insanely bumpy, even on smooth roads! And as we were at the very back we had to clambor over loads of bundles and boxes people leave in the aisle. Not fun! But we got here at least, so no lasting halm done. And our hotel here is fantastic! 250 rupes and it's got a tv, wardrobe, chair and table and pretty nice beds. Taj Plaza; I recommend! They even sorted out a last minute train ticket to.Varanasi for us!
Our tour of the city was pretty fun. Our tuk tuk driver even let us have a go driving! Scary but so awesome :D we saw Agra fort from the outside, saw the baby Taj (a tomb really), went to a park with an amazing view of the Taj Mahal, and went to a sjop to browse cool things. All good! Then dinner in and watching amazing acting in Indian soaps and Indian Master Chef. :D
Next day was a luuurvely late start (we needed the sleep after the bus journey the night before so decided not to do a sunrise Taj Mahal). Then checked out, bought our tickets for the Taj Mahal and had brunch. My Indian breakfast (stuffed paratha,potato curry, curd and tea) was pretty good! And the chai was nicely done if a little too sweet for my tastes. And we got chatting with some awesome people too, two travellers who are doing like 2 months in India and a geography teacher doing 2 weeks as a connecting schools program. It was a lot of fun to chill and chat :)
Then we headed off for sunset at the Taj Mahal. My first of the seven wonders of the world and it was amazing! Pretty packed but gorgeous! It was made by murghal leader Shah Jahan when his wife, dubbed Mumtaz Mahal by him (meaning chosen one of the palace) died in childbirth. The Taj Mahal is her tomb and monument, his promise to her as she died being that he'd make the most brautiful building in the world in her memory. Took 20 000 people and 22 years to build, ecerything is symmetrical. It's all stone, the flower patterns being semi precious stones... Just generally it's fantastic! We got to do fun poses too, like finger on the point and the like. The mosque on the west was gorgeous too. I loved the flowers carved of marble! And there were loads of monkies after the sunset too, so we stalked them for photos :P
Then back for dinner (with pudding of birthday cake from a 17 year old, which was super awesome) and our first sleeper train of India for our trip to Varanasi! Looking forward to it :D
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