From Agra to Jaipur

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So happy to have left Agra. The local people there won't let you breathe. You literally cannot walk for more than a metre without getting hassled by rickshaw drivers offering to take you to place. In my experience as a globe trotter I had never seen anything like it.
But of course it is still worth going because of the Taj Mahal so I guess I should spend a few words on it. I have to say that when I first saw it from the distance I didn't think it was that impressive. It looked smaller and darker than I had imagined it. But when you get closer to it and look at the details, that's when it blows you away. The perfection of the carving is truly amazing and I think it deserves to be ranked among the most beautiful buildings in the world.

My journey from Agra to Jaipur, where I am now, was nothing short of adventurous. We (a Canadian guy I met in Agra and I) bought an unreserved ticket for the train (which incidentally was three hours late) because it was not possible to reserve a seat on the same day. That pretty much means that you have to fight to get a place and that you get to travel in cattle-like condition for the duration of the journey (about five hours). I actually was lucky that someone gave up his seat for me because I'm a girl so in the end it wasn't that bad.
The funniest bit of the journey was at the end, when we got off at the wrong train station and had to take a city bus to the centre. One lesson learned: if you catch a local bus with a big rucksack never seat at the back. The bus filled up pretty quickly and getting off was a real challenge.
We checked in in a shithole because we were too tired to look for a decent guest house, then had some food and went to sleep.

In the morning I switched to a better hostel. If it wasn't for the colony of ants that populates my bathroom - some of which managed to make their way into my bed - my room would be perfect.
Later I went to a tour of the old city with the Canadian guy and a German guy we had met at Agra station. Despite the people wanting to sell you stuff, I love this place. It definitely has a good vibe. And the building are amazing. Too bad they are so run-down and neglected. With a bit of restoration work this city would be a real gem.

The Canadian and the German guys have left now but I'm staying a little longer. I love it here.

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