Day 5 - First day of Tour

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Today was to be ours official first day of A&K tour. We were scheduled to meet our tour guide Vishtal at 11am. After another wonderful buffet breakfast at the Taj we first wondered around the neighborhood of the hotel and got back by the appointed time. All of the other agents soon assembled and it really looks like a nice group. not surprisingly we soon associated ourselves with another Jewish couple, Robert and Ruth price from Chicago. again I am the only agent with a Y chromosome.

Our schedule for today was to do two site visits at the Oberoi and the Taj, with lunch at the OberoI and dinner at the taj. In between we were to take a driving tour of Bombay. We had a big air conditioned (thank G-d) bus for only 20 people. We drove across the tip if town to the Oberon and were greeted by the general manager. He told us about the history of the hotel.. It was also bombed in the terrorist attack. We then visited all of the different type rooms including the presidential suite. It was most impressive. very modern and stark and surprisingly quiet. I had never seen rooms the size of these suites with wonderful views of the water and the queens necklace promenade around the hotel. After the tour we had an Italian lunch hosted by the hotel.

We then started our city tour. In addition to our A&K tour leader we also had a local guide, a woman soho is fabulous. Tremendous knowledge of history, religion and Indian society. We first spent an hour in the house of mahatma ghandi. Wonderful pictures and you really got to understand his important role in world history. The guide put him in the same grOup as Martin Luther king, and Nelson Mandela in that they did not only speak for equality but acted. We then drove around the city seeing the house of obami the richest Han in world and the tatas. Ended the one of the museums (prine of wales), but by then we were very hot and dripping and not so interested in the art. Back to hotel by 5 pm in time for wonderful showers.

At 7 we were to meet for tour of the Taj Palace. Susan generally avoid these tours but joined the group. This is literally the most luxurious hotel imaginable. Rooms ranged from luxury city view to presidential suite. The two most interesting were the Ravi Shenker suite (3 floors high) with three bedrooms and a massive living room to the presidential suite which takes up a full wing of hotel on top floor. Obama, David Cameron and many heads of state have stay red there. In fact bill Clinton was there last week. It is incredible... Comes with a conference room, three bedrooms, a full workout room with two massage tables, and two full time butlers. We were served champagne and horses ovaries and to a person we all felt it was the most impressive suite tyet had ever seen. Just in case you are interested rack rate is about 10000 used per night. Our taxpayers at work. Day ended with hosted buffet dinner at the Taj. Food has been excellent. Tomorrow elephanta island and then flight to udaipur.

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