Arrived in Agra yesterday after a 6 hour journey. Most people went to sleep, but I ended up just taking in the sights on the drive. The hotel here seems really nice and clean, although apparently 2 Irish girls from the trip had to move rooms because there were cockroaches in their room!! disgusting!!!

We ate at the hotel restaurant for dinner and had an early night because wer had to be up today at 4:45 am. We went to the Taj Mahal to see the sunrise and arrived there around 5:15. It was a little busier than I expected it to be, but apparently going at Sunset is a LOT busier!

We then went back to the hotel for some breakfast and to freshen up. Whilst I was outside having a cigarette, I noticed lots of toddlers walking up to the hotel with empty containers, obviously having been sent by their parents to fetch water, but the guard still sent them away.

Me and a few others from the trip have had to get into a few arguments with locals who are trying to rip us off. For example, they sometimes try to charge you more than the price says on the bottle because they can see we are tourists. Even at the Taj Mahal in the shop, they refused to sell us drinks for the price that they were supposed to be, so we walked out.

The Agra Fort and the Baby Taj were boiling. Even though as a group we have decided to tip 500 rupees each for the entire trip, which is supposed to be being evenly distributed amongst everyone who we would otherwise have to tip, people are still constantly asking us for tips. Locals in the street just walk up to you and try and force you to buy stuff and small children come up to you and ask for money. Our guide has been very strict and told none of us to give anyone any money unless we are tipping someone or buying something.

Right now im at an internet cafe- i say internet cafe but its actually 2 very slow computers in a shop haha. After this weère going to get some food and check out the local markets.

xxx