Day 69 (Thurs 14 Sep) - Agra

We both didn't sleep very well as there were quite a few power cuts through the night which meant our fan stopped working. It was very hot.

We got up and went up to the roof top restaurant for breakfast. We sat admiring the Taj as we munched through our breakfast - this is definitely the life!

Got an auto to the tourist office about 5 km away from the hotel to find out about trains/buses to Jaipur.

Got an auto back and headed to the East Gate entrance to the Taj Mahal.

After wading through the guides offering their services, a quite thorough security check we entered via the East Gate. Walked past lawns to the main arch through which the first glimpse of the Taj.

It is truly magnificent, set in gardens that have lawns as smooth as a snooker table, lined with a great profusion of trees. Very crowded with people jostling one another for the photo of the Taj reflected in the main rectangular pool.

Decided to escape from the masses and walk around the perimeter of the complex ( [1], [2] ). It was incredibly hot. Sarb insisted on taking a few arty ( [1], [2] ) shots!

To actually walk on the raised marble platform on which the Taj rests you have to wear cotton overshoes that were being given out free at the entrance. We are so used to being scammed that we thought that this was just another ruse and ignored it. As it was so hot walking with barefeet on the marble would be too painful but luckily an enterprising soul near the steps leading up to the Taj was selling 'second hand' overshoes.

Suitably clad we walked up and onto the dais. Walked around the mosque to the West of the Taj, past a minnaret, and then into the Taj itself.

It is surprisingly plain inside the Taj. Inside we could see the coffins of the Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife (who was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal).

Walked out and around the Taj, to view the river flowing alongside it and the minnarets. Jo was accosted by a family of Indians who asked if they could take a photo of her with a few of their party. She agreed and so Jo the Indian celeb was born. Sarb took a few piccies of the photo shoot ( [1], [2], [3] ).

As we walked back to the East Gate we were again accosted by another couple who again wanted their picture taken with Jo.

Walked out through the East Gate and onto the Taj Gardens some 300 metres up the road. Not very inspiring as gardens go. Simply a tarmac path, leading past some small lawns surrounded by trees. However it did have a viewing tower from which we could hopefully catch some different views of the Taj.

Clambered up it to find it already occupied by two couples and a male gooseberry; all teenagers. Pretty cramped up top as the teenagers deigned to look cool by ignoring us and then, when they thought we were deep in conversation, looking at us so hard that their eyes crossed.

The view of the Taj was a trifle distant but great all the same seeing as that we only had the tops of the trees as a foreground.

Left the gardens and as we were feeling slightly cooked decided to unwind by getting an auto to one of the poshest hotels in Agra for a drink, the Taj View. Considering this hotel is some 6 km from the Taj to say it has a view, whilst not untrue, is slightly optimistic. Anyway we didn't care a fig about the view as what we were interested in happened to be in bottles.

Sarb had a couple of beers whilst Jo interrogated the waiter as to what wine he had. The poor chap unfortunately mentioned 'Chardonnay' to Jo thinking, perhaps, that this was the way forward. Jo's reaction caused a mini tsunami in Sarb's beer. Once he had mopped himself off he was thankful to see that she had settled for a glass of Indian white wine and soda. All was finally well in this particular corner of the world.

Got back to our hotel and as we couldn't be bothered getting dinner went to bed.