Learning the ropes

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So here we are, safely arrived in India and now a stones throw from the Taj Mahal. We were late arriving at Delhi airport (45 mins) and even later getting our bags (2h45) so the pre-arranged pick up from a hotel driver failed and we had to organise our own transport into the city itself by taxi.
We spent two three nights in Delhi acclimatising and despite some serious scaremongering by the lonely planet found the place to be entertaining and friendly albeit dusty, congested and very, very noisy. All the advice of taxi drivers, hotel staff and touts trying to rip you off left right and centre certainly didn't materialise for us and generally people were honest and good fun. This may well have a lot to do with it having been the run up to Diwali which gave the place a real feeling of the run up to Christmas especially as the streets were packed with panicking shoppers rummaging for gifts.
We had fun wandering the streets learning how things work and how much things cost then got a bit more adventurous by hiring a few rickshaws and going further afield very slowly in the diabolical traffic. We even did some genuine touristing and visited the 16th century Humayun's tomb, the largest mosque in India and the red fort.
We made a plan of our next move and booked train tickets from New Delhi station, after queuing for several hours we had a printed ticket for Agra for today (Friday). The train was only three hours and was relaxing (no people hanging off the side or goats/chickens/etc) and it was a relief watch the countryside replace Delhi through the barred windows.
We arrived in Agra and immediately booked tickets for Sunday 6:10am on the Lucknow express so already know our next move East, we got a rickshaw to the hotel then went for a wander around the disheveled area known as Taj Gang where low rise building meet the imposing south gate of the Taj Mahal.
Tomorrow we intend to get up at dawn and beat the day trippers to the T.M. then do some more exploring in the afternoon.
We are both well and I think we will both fall into the travelling mould again quite easily having said that we are still very much on the tourist trail and have never been far from restaurants promising American breakfasts, chop suey and banana pancakes so we will see.

Quick things:
- Seen a million fairy lights and fireworks celebrating Diwali
- Had a fair few thalis and the food is as good as advertised
- Discovered there is a serious amount of spurious paperwork associated with even the simplest things - eg. signing receipt before you're allowed breakfast
- Tea comes sweet, milky and cheap and is very welcome on a hot train

Love, C&A

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Comments

[chris]

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first comment!

[Hazel]

Great to hear from you
Hi guys, so pleased that your first few days have gone well. We have a few fireworks here tonight but it's also pouring down with rain. Have fun and take care. Lots of love Hazel xxxx

[Mum]

Happy you are safe
Glad to read that you are both safe and having fun. It's a good time to go to India with the festival of Divali in full swing. Enjoy your visit to the Taj Mahal and post some photos soon as we'd all love to see some. All our love, Mum and Dad xx

[kate]

Miss your little faces xxxxxxx