Day 7 Snake in a basket!!!!

My train out of Gwalior was scheduled for 0640. Some of the people were up to say goodbye, Thapa, Raju, and the volunteer coordinator. Paige even made an appearance. It was good to see them because I was sad to leave, even though I'd only been there a week.

Bahshootum drove me to the station at 0545. Was it any surprise that the train was late? Bahshootum laughed and said, "India time." I felt bad that Bahshootum was waiting with me for the next hour and a half. I told him he didn't have to stay. He didn't say anything, but he didn't leave either and I was secretly relieved. I was pretty sure I had a handle on the Indian railway system and that I'd be able to get on the proper train, but it was nice to have him there with me all the same.

The ride to Agra was pretty short and I was surrounded by taxi drivers almost immediately after exiting the station. I found a guide, Afsar, who drove me around all day for Rs. 650. His English was pretty good. Since it was a little overcast in the morning, he took me to the "baby Taj" first and then to a place where I learned all about how the marble inlays are done. I watched guys carving the marble out while others shaved pieces of stone for the inlays. Here's a close up of the detail on the Taj Mahal.

Afsar dropped me off near the Taj and I walked about 10 minutes to the entrance. Bags weren't allowed past security, so all I had were my two cameras, some rolls of film in my pocket, and the Rs. 750 to get in. As soon as I got through security I went to take a picture with my film camera and the batteries died. I'd gone the whole trip without having to change them. What to do? I had my digital camera, did I really need to go all the way back for the fresh batteries in my backpack? I decided I would just keep going. My digital camera would be fine.

Then I rounded the corner and got my first up close, in person view of the Taj Mahal and I changed my mind. My film camera has a polarizing filter and the sky was so bright I knew I just wouldn't get good pictures with the digital one. I'd kick myself later if I didn't go get the batteries. Luckily, they didn't make me pay another 750 rupees to get back in.

I'm at the Taj Mahal!!

I spent a couple hours at the Taj and then Afsar took me to Agra Fort, the largest fort in India. It's like a walled city. I only wandered around 20% of it, the military lives in the rest, and it was enormous.
Afsar took me to a bunch of shops to, and to a place for lunch where I ate the best Dahl Makani of my life with buttered roti and heaps of yogurt. By the end of the day I was worn out. It was exhausting to play tourist. My train to Delhi was at 1800 and I collapsed into my upper bunk, drained.

The best part about the day in Agra was that I found my snake in a basket. While I was taking pictures outside the Taj, a guy wanted to take a picture of me with his wife. At first I thought they must be a very sophisticated and sneaky pickpocket team. Why would they want a picture of some strange, gargantuan white woman? He even had us hold hands. But I was a good sport and not only did I not have my pockets picked, but in return for posing with his wife, the guy let me get him on video. I figured if they could ask me to do something that I thought was a little odd, I could ask him to bobble his head. What a nice man!

He made my India trip complete!

The train was late getting into Delhi, I didn't get out of the station until after 2300. I couldn't find a prepaid taxi stand like at the airport, so I followed some guy when he told me he'd get me a prepaid taxi. I got a little nervous when I had to follow him across the street and down an alley to a little office. So when a guy at a desk told me it would be Rs. 750 to take me to my hotel, I just turned around and left without a word. I was in no mood to bargain, his price was insultingly high, and I didn't like where I was anyway.

The little guy who'd led me there followed me out and offered Rs 450 so I took it. I didn't know how far away my hotel was, but it was late and I just wanted to get there. I knew if I went back to the rickshaw pack I could find something cheaper, but I was ready for bed. My hotel was about 15 minutes away by car. To give you an idea, the 40 minute taxi ride from the real prepaid taxi stand at the airport was only 250. But the difference in US dollars is nothing.

When my cab took me to a seedy looking part of town, I steeled myself for a nasty hotel. Instead, I found a cheery, clean, wonderful hotel. My room was lovely, it came with a fruit basket, and they took me to the airport a mere 5 hours later for the start of my journey home.