Delhi and Agra with my cousin: Smruti

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An old post that is long overdue. Hope you guys enjoy. I will try to update more this week while the memories are still fresh in my mind. 😊 Home in a week!!!

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By the way. The reason Smruti and I started to refer to each other as cousins is because when we would go shopping in the old city, she would always bargain for me because she speaks hindi. The shop keepers would always say "No, no, no we should charge you double because it is for a foreigner" and she would shoot back in Hindi "This is my cousin, I am buying her a gift." They would look at us so skeptically but we played it up so well. I am her cousin from Canada, I have come to visit, now she is leaving and she wants to buy me a gift. Here's hoping the shop keepers don't speak amongst each other because we played this game so much. Smruti is by far the most intense bargainer ever! She would sit for over twenty minutes in a shop speaking in hindi, and the shop keeper would say "700, that is the best offer I have ever given a customer for two shirts" and she would say right back "550, that is the best offer I have every given to a shopkeeper." Then he would not budge, but she would sit there...When he would say "I am making losses on this transaction!" She would reply "Sometimes you must make losses in the present to make future profits." You know what ladies and gentlemen? It would work...EVERY TIME. Love that girl. No one makes me laugh like you.

Smruti finished her internship with Seva Mandir at the beginning of June. It was a really sad thing for me because living in the dorms, Smruti was basically my sister. Her bed is directly accross from mine and I would always wake up and, it's funny because she does the same, if she is awake I feel I should get up but if she is still sleeping I doze off again. She is the most amazing cook and often volunteers to cook for 15 people in the dorms. No easy task when it is this hot outside! The bottom line is, knowing she was leaving I decided to jump on a plane to Delhi where we would stay at a very fancy hotel (thanks Dad you're the best) and then take a train to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

We arrived in Delhi and booked into the most beautiful hotel. We ordered room service while we took turns having showers. Best shower I had had in a long time. It beats pouring buckets of water on myself any day. I ordered a chicken caesar salad, the first bite of meat I had had in over a month. She ordered her first ever croissants and danishes...They were delicious! We then headed out to Delhi to meet some of her friends from college, who took us to Sarjoni Nagard market. This was HEAVEN. I am going back in a few days. It is pretty much a huge market where they sell clothes for dirt cheap. They try to rip me off but, having learned from the best, I am now a ruthless bargainer.

After this we packed up our things and took a train to Agra. I stayed with her uncle and aunt in the military sort of area, because her uncle is in the army. We took a nice walk around the area in the evening and we had a nice dinner. Her aunt must have thought I did not like the food but it was simply that I had a very small appetite at the time. In fact, I think if I would have eaten all the food she was giving me she still would not have been satisfied. I woke up early that morning to Smruti holding a baby, I found out it was the baby of their neighbour. I asked to hold it and the child was so afraid of me; it was quite comical. After taking a few pictures of the terrified child in my arms I let someone else hold the baby. Smruti's uncle, her cousin (6 year old Ashu), Smruti and I headed out to the Taj Mahal!

It cost me 800 rupees to get into the Taj Mahal because I am a foreigner. Smruti only had to pay 20 rupees because she is indian. This is one of the things that I feel sort of split about: the extra charge imposed on foreigners for everything. I mean in Canada, if you a shop owner charged more to someone because of where they were from then there would be an uprising, a lawsuit and tons of media attention. Here it is common place. I guess it is because of the impression that foreigners have more money and so they can afford to pay more. But I am a student. I have no money. Actually, my dad would say that I do but that I spend it on shopping and partying, haha. On the other hand, when it comes down to it I am arguing with a shop keeper over 5-10$, which really should not be such a big deal. Anyway! We went into the Taj Mahal two things struck me: 1) it is big and beautiful 2) it is crowded as hell. There were so many people!! I was asked to take pictures with people again and again. It was also a struggle to try to get good pictures of ourselves because everyone around is trying to do the same thing. We walked around and inside the Taj. Then headed back to the Exit. From there I went to buy some souvenirs (especially a little something I had promised to a certain adorable cousin of mine back home).

Despite the urges of Smrutis aunt and uncle to stay the night Smruti and I were determined to get a train back to Delhi to enjoy our final night together in ITC Maurya (thanks dad!!). Unfortunately, we had not booked a ticket. So for anyone going to India and who desperately needs to catch a sold out train here is how to go about getting on that train:

1) Buy a general ticket from the booking office

2) Get to the platform early and spot the guy who checks the tickets he is always dressed really smart, with a suit and tie.

3) Explain to him that you need an A/C or sleeper seat and he will let you know whether there are spots available. You will have to pay about Rs. 250/per person.

This is exactly what we did. Smruti and I checked back into our ITC Maurya and went to wonderful dinner at Side Wok in Cannaught place (featuring Mojitos and vegetable sushi). Then we headed back to the hotel and cried for hours at the fact that we would soon have to part. I must say the 600+ Rs. late night brownie we ordered room service was very worth it.

And so I flew back to Udaipur with tears in my eyes and an empty feeling inside. I don't think it is often that you meet people you connect with so much. Smruti was one of those people. Kind, funny and with lots of energy- enough to handle my similar traits. Also, it is funny how you know some people for years but with Smruti in a month and a half I know that we will always keep in touch. I look forward to seeing her again in Mumbai in July.

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