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Nice flight from Amritsar...only just made it across Dehli in time though for the connecting train. Five mins to spare pushing past the hustlers at New Dehli and no baksheesh for the driver. Teacher voice had to be deployed to scare people off, came in more useful later on it turned out. Met a young canadian couple on the train, they had only been in India a few days and viewed us as some sort of Gurus after our 2 weeks experience. Thez were of to Benares, but a pleasnt journey, our young canadian lady friend atracting a bit of attention froma Biryani chomping passenger.
Agra...well. The hotel Yamuna View is bascially an outfit operated by some petty gangsters from what we could see.So called five star but like all of Agra designed to get your cash as quickly as possible. We were offered a car fro the daz, 3 hrs in reality, for nearlz 2000 Rs. In Dehli it was 600. We declined and as soon as we were in the room a call from the desk suggesting we take the car for our own security. We ignored them and got qiute happily around on rickshaws for Rs 150 instread. Though at one point the poor cycle Ricksahw wallah had to get out and push and quizzically asked us if we were Americans.. poor fella. He did get a tip as we demanded change from the video fee booth which didnt please them at all. A small victory in the redistribution of wealth.
The Taj itself............OK. Not that amazing in my humble opinion. From the entrance is actually the best view. Got all marxist looking at it thinking about the folly of the elite and the decadence it represented (the Shah who built it died of a sex and opium binge).
Anzway, Agra Fort was interesting, John Russel Colvins tomb there from 1857 mutiny, good views up the Yamuna, but very hot...so hot when it rained it was a like a hot shower.
Met a nice Aussie woman caled Rebakkah at the hotel who was travelling with her 2 yr old Xavier and having dinner with them was interesting the night they served Spaghetti...
Glad to get out on the train to catch flight to the South...the first part of the journey now completed.....
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