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Published: February 26th 2014
Saturday 23rd November Up for breakfast at 8.30. Some of the group couldn't wait to get shopping but I had to pack and sort my bags out for my onward trip to Goa. Fortunately, this didn't take me too long.
I walked up the hill from the hotel to look at the shops around Bhagsu Nag and bumped into Jane and Howard. Everywhere was really busy this morning as it was a weekend. I bought Dave a t shirt. A family stopped me and asked to take my photo! I ended having a hoot with every family member!
I picked up a tuk tuk and went down to McCloud Ganj. I took my time walking through the shops and stopped at various places to buy things. I saw Teri, Sheila and Lynda at Mandala Cafe so had a coffee with them before walking down to The Monastery for one final visit. It is so peaceful and calm in there, you could spend all day wandering. I left and went back to Mandala Cafe for lunch, a veg omelette. Bev, Jodi, Kate and Sophie were having lunch sat outside so I joined them. Howard and Jane sat inside. Service
was very slow and I only just made it back to the Hotel for our departure.
I got in a taxi with Sheila, Lynda, Ian and Teri and we set off for Pathankot. We stopped en route at the same place we had breakfast on our way to Dharamsala and had an evening meal, which was a delicious curry. Jane had been unwell on the way due to the very windy roads and Jodi decided not to join us for our meal as she was feeling a little queasy.
We arrived at the train station with time to spare so we relaxed for awhile. When our train came in, it was very crowded and it took us all quite awhile to get up luggage on the train and find our berths. I was sharing with Kathryn above me, Kate opposite, Jane above her and the other Kate across in the corridor with .debbie above her. It wasn't long before we all settled down for the night. We all had a rude awakening when Subhash came running through our carriage shouting for us all to get off as it was our stop! We had slept through and as Subhash
was in the other carriage which had been locked until the train stopped, we hadn't had our five minute warning! It was a bit of. Rush! But we had arrived in Delhi train station at 6am.
Sunday 24th November we left our large bags with Manu who was organising some porters to bring them to our coach and we started walking through the station which was extremely busy even at that time of the morning. We got on the coach and waited for the porters who arrived not long after us and we were on our way to Agra. Most of us had a little snooze on the way. We checked into The Crystal Park Hotel and had breakfast. After a refreshing shower, we met in reception to continue our journey to The Taj Mahal. Our coach parked in the car park and we all had to get into electric cars to be transported closer to the gates. The queues were incredibly long. We were all security checked and had our bags checked before we could enter through the gates. Once inside, we were amazed to see the crowds, we were told that a approximately 50,000 people go
through the gates a day!! Our guide told us to look down at our feet when we entered and not to look up until he told us to. We filed in and when he said look up, we were amazed by the sight, there was the magnificent Taj Mahal right in front of us! What a spectacle, it was truly beautiful, but I still couldn't get over how many people were all around us. We wandered around inside for about an hour, but to be honest I was glad when we left as I had had enough of the crowds and noise of the guards with their whistles.
We ended up in a restaurant called The Taj Mahal and had a curry buffet which was very hot, but delicious, then back to our hotel for the night.
Monday 25th November Early wake up call at 4.45, breakfast then coach left at 5.30. I slept most of the way to Delhi airport. We arrived at 9.45. We then said our goodbyes and approached the doors to departures. I watched my fellow Trekkers file through the doors and then it was my turn to get papers checked as you
are not allowed entry into the airport without travel tickets. There was my problem - I didn't have my ticket for my flight to Goa, Dave had it! So, therefore I wasn't allowed in, I was frantic as we had arranged to meet in a particular place. As I stood there not knowing what to do, Lynda walked past as she wasn't allowed entry either as her flight was at 11 that night, so had to wait. She was told to go to the visitors lounge, so I went with her. II was faced with the same problem as I didn't have a ticket they wouldn't allow me to go in. Lynda went on in and we said goodbye. I was desperate for the loo, so pushing my luggage on my trolley went in search of toilets. I eventually found some in the car park, which was up a floor and over a bridge. I then tried to phone Dave as he had planned by this time to let him know I was outside the terminal. His phone continually went to voicemail, I was panicking now. It was now nearly an hour after his plane had landed and still no
sign if him, I didn't know what to do. I was just getting to the point of hysteria when I saw him walking out through the doors, pushing his luggage. I waved my arms frantically, it was such a relief to see him.
We sat and had a coffee outside as we weren't allowed back in as our flight wasn't until 4pm. We took my large bag to left luggage to collect in a fortnight as I didn't want to take all my walking gear down to Goa and by the time that was all sorted we could go through to departures and check in. We aware on our way to Goa and a much needed rest.
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Zoe
non-member comment
Brilliant memories
Dear Angela, It was great to read this blog and the one before, several weeks ago, was a fantastic resumé of our PBCC charity trek. I look forward to reading how it went in Goa! Also, greatly looking forward to the group's reunion walk in the Cotswolds on Sunday 16th March.. All the very Best, Zoe