Agra-phobia: Photos 84 to 92

The miserable blogs continue - I can't find anything amusing to write about. Apologies if I'm starting to sound like a cross between Alf Garnett and V.S. Naipaul, but I'm only really apologising to Indian people; those many kind folk that have made us happy, welcome or more simply just interested, who perhaps don't deserve yet another diatribe on how awful they all are.

But Western reaction to India seems to make me more and more angry. Sitting in a Nepali tea house somewhere near Everest, I was reading Rohinton Mistry's “A Fine Balance”, which portrays the narrow line between hope and despair, living and dying, of the Mumbai poor in the mid-1970s. A young European woman offered ...

“Oh, don’t show me that book, it’s awful. It’s so depressing”.
“Have you been in India?”
“Oh yes, many times. I love India”.
At this point, tired and suffering from altitude sickness, I’d had enough of being nice to people.
“Don’t the poor bother you?”
Pause. “Yes, but, you know, after a while you just ...”
“Tune them out?”
“Yes, you tune them out. But there are so many people dying in this book. People dying everywhere. It’s so depressing.”

Full Text Entry: Agra-phobia

Hi. I travelled through Northern India three years ago. It is great to relive my experiences through your great photography and stories. At the moment I'm back in India, travelling through the South. It was fun to see that you had the same boatman for your trip to the Keralan backwaters as we had! Thank you, and keep up the good work! Erik

Hey guys India never looked so good. Awe inspiring photos as always, you really should become a professional travel photographer. Any chance you might sell your work one day? Keep the blogs coming.

Thank you so much for the incredible feast for the eyes! Your photos are breathtaking. Im on my way to India in Oct. for the first time, and reading your blogs and enjoying your pics is really fanning my travel fire! Keep em coming!

Hi! what a great blog! I just came back from India yesterday and reading your blog is helping to ease my cravings of returning. I shall peruse your other blogs to give me inspirations for future travels!

A fantastic read and gorgeous photos. Thanks

Hello Baccy (and Kim). I have only just become aware of the blog. As everybody else says the pictures are great. I haven't read all of the commentary, yet. See you whenever in Yorkshire, which I try not to leave.

Hey, I recently went through the blog and found it enchanting.The growing curiosity about our country with so many people coming and writing their experience shows that somehow India still manages to touch people's heart in many ways. I am planning a travel company soon and I seek your permission to use one or two of your lovely photogrphs (with due permission) in my catalogue. Rajat

Hi Rajat, thanks for your comments - India is truly enchanting ... although engaging may perhaps be more accurate. Send us an email through travelblog re photo usage. Cheers Rich and Kim

Most of your photos are simply beautiful. I wanted to have a look on the shots pf Rajasthan, but ended up finshing the entire lot. Great photography!

Once again, your blog has managed to keep me up way past my bedtime... this one was by far one of my favs. Your insight, comprehension and knowledge of India was very inspiring to read (and it's quite ironic b/c I had a long talk with a Nepali-Indian today about India's economic situation and imbalance). I'm definitely checking out your book recommendations. Reading this blog interests me to learn and seek more about this nation of contradictions. I sometimes feel like I want to just escape from here, while other times I want to embrace the goodness it has to offers. I think that this entry has created a better understanding of the things that causes me so much frustration and confusion about this country. Thanks for taking the time to share your inspiring outlook and honesty. You have such a gift... in both the visual and logical way of seeing things, and transcending that for others to understand.

Hi, I just ran into your blog after clicking on the Taj Mahal's photo on the main page. I am from India (currently in US) and have lived in the state of Uttar Pradesh (where Agra is) and Delhi for nealy 20 yrs and had never visited the Taj Mahal!! Now I am in the US and visiting places here! Your blog about your north Indian experiences are truly interesting. 15-20 yrs ago, there were not many tourists coming to India but now it is steadily becoming a popular tourist destination among the adventurous. Stories of people pestering you for money is quintessential lower middle class India where people are not ashamed of trying to make a quick buck out of the hapless tourist. I wonder what you guys (from US, UK) think of such experiences. Are they always annoying or they add something to the experience that is India? Anyway, the blog transported me to Agra and the Taj for some moments!

Your pictures are fantastic. India is great if you spend enough time and let it touch you. I'm glad you shared your story with us. It's good to see the world trough your eyes : )

you have amazing photos of india

hey!!!! just been thru ur pics.......they r really cool......i loved each n everyone of them.......i have never been to Agra but after seeing the pics really feel like going out there.

Hey! your work is inspiring to say the least.....I am making a 60 minutes film on 'female foeticide' and its story travels to and fro between the sleepy rustic ambience of a village in Rajasthan to a space mission by NASA where Kalpana Chawla was killed. Can't tell you more....at this stage. I think if you can take out 40 days in Sept-Oct 2008...then I offer you to work on the 'coffee table book' and stills of our movie. I am doing this project with an Australian Lady and we want to participate in the Cannes Festival in 2009..besides others. We are not on a big budget...but we have a big heart...and an open mind! cheers!! ajay sharma 91-11-9971722022

you have captured India so beautifully, both in words and through your lenses. I have been to almost all the places mentioned in your blog, and I must say that you present a picture that makes me feel like visiting the places all over again. thanks for such a beautiful entry.

This picture is Beautiful, I wish i could see a sun set like that where i live! the only problem is theres too many buildings to see a sunset from where i am, and i doubt it would ever look as beautiful as that does :(

Hi. I travelled through Northern India three years ago. It is great to relive my experiences through your great photography and stories. At the moment I'm back in India, travelling through the South. It was fun to see that you had the same boatman for your trip to the Keralan backwaters as we had! Thank you, and keep up the good work! Erik

Hey guys India never looked so good. Awe inspiring photos as always, you really should become a professional travel photographer. Any chance you might sell your work one day? Keep the blogs coming.

Thank you so much for the incredible feast for the eyes! Your photos are breathtaking. Im on my way to India in Oct. for the first time, and reading your blogs and enjoying your pics is really fanning my travel fire! Keep em coming!

Hi! what a great blog! I just came back from India yesterday and reading your blog is helping to ease my cravings of returning. I shall peruse your other blogs to give me inspirations for future travels!

A fantastic read and gorgeous photos. Thanks

Hello Baccy (and Kim). I have only just become aware of the blog. As everybody else says the pictures are great. I haven't read all of the commentary, yet. See you whenever in Yorkshire, which I try not to leave.

Hey, I recently went through the blog and found it enchanting.The growing curiosity about our country with so many people coming and writing their experience shows that somehow India still manages to touch people's heart in many ways. I am planning a travel company soon and I seek your permission to use one or two of your lovely photogrphs (with due permission) in my catalogue. Rajat

Hi Rajat, thanks for your comments - India is truly enchanting ... although engaging may perhaps be more accurate. Send us an email through travelblog re photo usage. Cheers Rich and Kim

Most of your photos are simply beautiful. I wanted to have a look on the shots pf Rajasthan, but ended up finshing the entire lot. Great photography!

Once again, your blog has managed to keep me up way past my bedtime... this one was by far one of my favs. Your insight, comprehension and knowledge of India was very inspiring to read (and it's quite ironic b/c I had a long talk with a Nepali-Indian today about India's economic situation and imbalance). I'm definitely checking out your book recommendations. Reading this blog interests me to learn and seek more about this nation of contradictions. I sometimes feel like I want to just escape from here, while other times I want to embrace the goodness it has to offers. I think that this entry has created a better understanding of the things that causes me so much frustration and confusion about this country. Thanks for taking the time to share your inspiring outlook and honesty. You have such a gift... in both the visual and logical way of seeing things, and transcending that for others to understand.

Hi, I just ran into your blog after clicking on the Taj Mahal's photo on the main page. I am from India (currently in US) and have lived in the state of Uttar Pradesh (where Agra is) and Delhi for nealy 20 yrs and had never visited the Taj Mahal!! Now I am in the US and visiting places here! Your blog about your north Indian experiences are truly interesting. 15-20 yrs ago, there were not many tourists coming to India but now it is steadily becoming a popular tourist destination among the adventurous. Stories of people pestering you for money is quintessential lower middle class India where people are not ashamed of trying to make a quick buck out of the hapless tourist. I wonder what you guys (from US, UK) think of such experiences. Are they always annoying or they add something to the experience that is India? Anyway, the blog transported me to Agra and the Taj for some moments!

Your pictures are fantastic. India is great if you spend enough time and let it touch you. I'm glad you shared your story with us. It's good to see the world trough your eyes : )

you have amazing photos of india

hey!!!! just been thru ur pics.......they r really cool......i loved each n everyone of them.......i have never been to Agra but after seeing the pics really feel like going out there.

Hey! your work is inspiring to say the least.....I am making a 60 minutes film on 'female foeticide' and its story travels to and fro between the sleepy rustic ambience of a village in Rajasthan to a space mission by NASA where Kalpana Chawla was killed. Can't tell you more....at this stage. I think if you can take out 40 days in Sept-Oct 2008...then I offer you to work on the 'coffee table book' and stills of our movie. I am doing this project with an Australian Lady and we want to participate in the Cannes Festival in 2009..besides others. We are not on a big budget...but we have a big heart...and an open mind! cheers!! ajay sharma 91-11-9971722022

you have captured India so beautifully, both in words and through your lenses. I have been to almost all the places mentioned in your blog, and I must say that you present a picture that makes me feel like visiting the places all over again. thanks for such a beautiful entry.

This picture is Beautiful, I wish i could see a sun set like that where i live! the only problem is theres too many buildings to see a sunset from where i am, and i doubt it would ever look as beautiful as that does :(