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Published: March 11th 2007
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Taj Mahal 1
Classic Taj Photo India - Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Delhi This place is NUTS!!!
No matter how much you try, nothing can prepare you for some of the things you will see in North India, the 'touching' that goes on between males, pissing and spitting by everyone, anywhere, any time and the poohing that takes in the allocated areas (anywhere that isnt a road basically). The level of uncivilized behaviour out here is just incredible, its like stepping back into caveman days. What makes it worse is that there some truely amazing places and sights to be found right in the middle of these really grotty areas, the Taj Mahal is a perfect example, it really is breathtaking to see but Agra, the town that it is in, is probably the worst yet.
The other most notable thing is the noise, its soooooo loud, wherever you go, the roads are just a congregated mess of cars, bikes, rickshaws, cows, people, elephants and busses and each one uses its horn (or mouth etc) at every opportunity going, beeps to say move, beeps to let them know your there, beeps to say thank you, beeps to say im waiting, beeps to say your welcome, beeps to say hi, beeps to
Taj Mahal 2
I should be a photographer really say bye, beeps when your bored, beeps when your tired, the list goes on!!
Besides all that, our first week has been pretty good, we got suckered in to a farerly organised week because we were shattered and just got off the plane which cost us way more than it should have but involved everything we wanted to do and no hassle. We left Delhi straight away with our driver for the week, Sunil (he's a true legend!), down to Agra. The roads on the way made crisp road look like a silk carpet, theres holes everywhere meaning you rarely get over 40mph. Our hotel in Agra was pretty nasty but I was welcomed into my room by what became my good friend Mr. (cock) Roach - he's alright mate, he's alright! The place was grotty to say the least and I slept with one eye open, expecting more creatures to join me! The Taj Mahal followed and as I said previously, its pretty awesome! Not to much else to say about Agra as thats all thats there.
We then headed down to Ranthambore national park and on the way were treated like royalty as we drove through
Taj Mahal 3
It really is very impressive first hand, hence the amount of photos! some very rural villages, every kid wanted to wave and scream 'hi' to us - they all seemed genuinly excited to see a car full of white people. Ranthambore was a let down, the park is huge and there are only 35 tigers due to poaching so all we ended up seeing were deer, monkey and a couple of crocs which looked dead! (this maybe a little ungrateful due to previous visits to Kruger of course)
We cut our time short there to head straight for Jaipur where we enjoyed some of the best food yet. Indian food from India is basically the same as at home (which surprised me) but just not as jazzed up so a Korma over here is the same just less creamy and less sweat so everything is a little more bland. After asking everyone to take us to a 'locals' restaurant to only be taking to a place full of tourists and high prices, our legendary guide for the day took us down a back ally to tidy little place filled with Indians who gave us plenty of stares as we walked in (we were used to this by now, we get stared
Taj Mahal 4
Just to prove I was actually there and didnt steel these pics! at everywhere, by everyone! well especially Jade, by the men!). The food in here was awesome, our guide even ordered for us, 3 Thalis (kinda like a set meal for one) of different styles. This is where the fun pretty much ended for me - hardcore sunstroke and good ol' delhi belly struck at the same time and left me feeling awful for 2 days solid - serves me right for being adventurous with food hey! So yeah, 1 box of painkillers, 2 boxes of immodium (thank god for immodium!) and 3 toilet rolls later and Im finally feeling better today!! so all is good!
Back in Delhi now and leaving tomorrow afternoon on a sleeper train for Varenasi (holy place on the ganges) and should be in Darjeeling by Saturday to start our school work. Mark's just left and Jades doing pretty well considering, but a little teary. I'm all good and looking forward to roughing it after some relative comfort last week!
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