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Published: December 19th 2010
Me & The Taj Mahal :)
The one and only..Taj Mahal! ENJOY THEM EVERYONE! SORRY FOR THE DELAYS 😉
** My entries will have a slight delay > This entry was written when I was in my hotel in Agra. I am currently staying in Jaipur (The Pink City).
Here she goes...My 1st entry out of India 😊
So....please get comfortable...perhaps make yourself a cup of tea, because this entry has become a novel haha
I wasn't sure when my next real entry was going to happen, so excuse the delay. AS you can tell I have been keeping plenty busy in this oh so fascinating country. It's funny how the things you do so simply at home, are non existent the minute you start traveling! Of course you think you will do an entry a day or something insane like that, but nah that's not how it goes at all. Time is a whole different concept here and I allowed myself plenty of time to get a nice first entry together.
I have just arrived at my hotel in Agra. I am waiting for my room service, as I am too exhausted from the days events to go out and eat around the hotel.
Let's start with some words on my arrival into Delhi. Actually let me start first by saying how absolutely mind blown I have been since my arrival! Yes of course culture shock is what I craved and was hoping to experience by going to India, but man you get that and then some haha. 3 days have felt like a million and I am pretty sure I already have a picture show planted in my brain that could last a lifetime!
My flights were excellent. I got very lucky both times. Met a girl from Antigonish who was on her way to Qatar! Her mom teaches there and she goes there for Christmas every year. So neat! Her name was Skye and she was very nice. We were able to relate a lot since she has traveled literally all over the world. She was amazed about my solo travels to Asia. She made my day by sharing a bag of delicious licorice with me. What a treat! We exchanged names and our emails and then we went our separate ways after we arrived in Newark. She only had 10 minutes to run to her terminal for her next flight. Hopefully she made it in time!
As I arrived in Newark, things really started to sink in. I WAS GOING TO INDIA! Not to Amsterdam, or London or Mexico. Nope, I was flying to Delhi this time! I bought some snacks and a bottle of water and walked to my gate. My eyes couldn't believe how many people were waiting there. It felt so real, seeing so many different people from India. At this point you know there is no turning back 😉. Many eyes were pinned on me, but I felt fine. You learn very quickly that many people are just very curious and are not used to seeing foreigners. Especially not lone females with a green backpack haha. The airport gives you a very good idea how Indians are so very family oriented. It's usually not just 1 person traveling, nope, it's the whole family together. Even as many as 5 or 6 people of the same family. Pretty neat. Of course luggage is also doubled or tripled. Each passenger has 2 big carry-ons to bring along for the journey. This doesn't even include the checked in luggage, so who knows how much these aircrafts for such flights actually carry in total. Yes..probably an insane amount!
Lots of children were also waiting. Some playing with their siblings or sleeping in their mother's arms. They were in for a long journey as well. I enjoyed exchanging smiles with a very cute Indian baby. She had a contagious smile and she kept trying to steal her brother's water bottle. It was very funny. And every time someone walked by she would just look up at them and smile!. It was adorable!
The wait wasn't too long, and before I knew it I was boarding flight CO82 headed for Delhi...
The plane was totally full. Let the "overhead-compartment-stuffing" begin! I had my backpack neatly placed above me so I had plenty of time to sit back and people watch. Like I said earlier, everyone brings a bag or 2 as carry on luggage, so of course these bags also need a spot in the plane before take off. It was very funny to watch all the passengers try and get their bags up in the compartments. A little pushing and shoving goes a long way here and I am sure the stewardesses LOVE this part of the job haha!
The place was huge! The biggest I have ever been on. 3 rows of 3; lll lll lll Biggest aircraft I have ever been on thus far. One of the biggest boeings around that are not double decker. See, I love to fly, so I was fascinated 😉.
The seat next to me was empty for quite a while, and I was kind of hoping that someone nice was eventually going to take the spot. After a while the seat got taken by a young looking guy. We got talking shortly after and he was super nice! His name was Hardit and he was a 22 yr old Delhi native, who is studying in San Antonio. I felt so lucky, for a long flight ahead, this was going to be a good way to learn a bit more about Delhi and India before even arriving! After realizing we both never fully understood Inception, we decided to kill some time by watching that again. (What a good movie! A total favorite!). From then on it was pretty much 2 people from 2 very different parts of the world, talking about well...life! Food, music, travel, India/Canada/Holland/Europe/US, media, well you name it, we talked about it! So glad to have gotten that seat on the plane! Because of that seat, I made my first friend of my journey! Funny story; we had a laugh at supper, when I ate what I thought was a green bean of some sort. This actually ended up being a green chilli pepper! Haha, yes my mouth was on fire. Good thing they serve everything with curd (yogurt)! It saved my mouth from burning the entire flight. And even though it was only airplane food, it was delicious!
30 minutes until arrival...I gathered my things and soon we were getting ready for landing. So many thoughts were running through my head! And yes my heart was pounding and it did feel like it was going to come out of my ribcage, like in the cartoons! It is very interesting what travel can do to the body and the mind. Good thing I felt fine physically. No runny nose or headache! What a relief 😊.
The plane landed smoothly and we then had to wait until we were allowed to get off the aircraft. The typical long wait and it's probably the only part about flying I dislike! Really in reality, you just want to jump off and get going already. Me and Hardit laughed, because we both knew I was plenty nervous at this point! But a real travel lover knows exactly why they are going on such a journey. For the adrenaline rush!
After clearing customs and receiving my stamp on my visa, I was ready to head outside. I waited for Hardit first to get his luggage. He was one of the last people to board the plane, so he got his bags right away. Lucky! As you are walking outside into the arrival area, all you see is people with signs that have names on them. It was a feeling of relief to see mine right away. With a very smiley looking man holding it up. My drivers name was Chavi, and he was so friendly! He knew Hardit and they had a quick chat. He also wanted to give Hardit a ride, but of course he tried to explain that it was for me, and that he had his family waiting for him. We quickly exchanged names and emails and he also gave me his number so that we could meet in Goa for Christmas. He plans on being there or the holidays too! That would be awesome.
The drive to the hotel was quite smooth and my nerves were really not so bad at this point. Having someone at the airport waiting for you is very nice and it makes things a lot more comfortable. Also arriving at nighttime make a big difference. Not too much culture shock yet 😉. Chavi was awesome! He was from Nepal and he only sees his family every 6 months! He showed me his photo album and his guestbook. It proves that he is very much loved by all of his guests. Or well the people that get lucky to have him as their driver. His family photos were very nice also. I was already lost for words just talking to this man, and listening to his many stories about his family and about Delhi!
I arrived at the hotel and thanked him I think a million times. My first hour in Delhi had been really wonderful so far. Without warning, you meet so many great people, that will forever change your life!
Check in went fine and you really get taken care of the minute you arrive. My bag got brought to my room and I couldn't wait to rest my eyes finally. Room was fine, nothing special. Clean with a good shower and western toilet. All in all, it was just great and had everything I needed for a good comfortable stay. The moment my head hit the pillow, I was in dreamland...my body needed that! Haha. Still had my backpack sitting on my bed, but I could of cared less. That pillow was exactly what the doctor ordered.
I woke up quite early, which was expected. But to get a bit more sleep, I kept dozing off every hour. Felt good to just let your mental clock do the work. I ate something light in my room and then went downstairs (yes a bit of hesitation at first!). The person at the lobby asked me if I wanted to do some sightseeing today, and I guess I felt ready enough to head out there and experience some of Delhi. Let the adventure begin!
Of course because it was obvious that I was an India newbie, I figured it was smart to just go with the flow. Doing the sightseeing on my very own the first day, didn't sound like a great plan. So I went along with a 1/2 a day tour of Delhi.
Alright, before I tell you a bit more about some of the sights I saw on the first day, I have to tell you about one of the best and most craziest parts about India....THE TRAFFIC! So, there is simply no way to describe it correctly. It will leave you absolutely speechless haha. If you are at all of the faint of heart about any situation regarding the subject of traffic, this part of India will leave you VERY scared uhm..scarred? LOL
So, I call it a roller coaster ride! It is everyone for themselves. Lines on the road simply do not matter, and well they are usually on existent. Imagine lanes like such; l l l, and then picture people attempting to make their own lanes. As n just drive in the very middle of the road. The picture this road filled with cars, rickshaws, buses, taxis, vans, trucks, camels, horses, bikes, motorcycles, pushkars and whatever else is considered a form of transportation! Yes, this...ALL ON ONE ROAD! People also use the horn here like it's a language. and well it kind of is! It serves a purpose here. For example; when a rickshaw is driving in the middle of the road, a vehicle that wants to pass will honk (about 15 times haha) so that the rickshaw knows to move a total of 1 tiny inch to the left or right, so that way the honking or bigger vehicle can pass by. It's like a constant race, with hoping at all times that you don't crash. Driving here would be a total nightmare, but being a part of it, I find to be exhilarating. I love being a part of the mayhem.
Also those vans I mentioned; they are either enclosed like the modern kind or they are totally open. They carry upto 30 people. Well that is how much I have counted thus far. Same goes for rickshaws. Have seen a few with a total of 10 people inside. Of course that means there is one person sitting on top! Yes and you guessed correctly, the exact same thing goes for all the other forms of transportation! The more people, the better, and for me, the more impressive of course.
So....people in Europe and Canada; how many accidents have you seen in the past 3 days? ...Ah I have seen too many too count. Good thing India does not get snow, because this chapter would be much too sad to read...
Back to the sights...(going to keep these a bit in point form style)
*The Gandhi Complex, which includes Raj Ghat, his final resting place. Very beautiful, with lots of flowers and a eternal flame of course. Also took a look inside one of the museums. What a beautiful person her was to this world.
*Had my first Indian lunch; Butter Chicken. Very tasty, soon I will get to try a traditional vegetarian meal. (I love naan bread, it is the best!)
*The Akshardham Temple - No pictures allowed inside this beautiful Hindu temple. Only got a picture from the outside with surrounding smog. Up close both the out and inside were amazing!
*The Laxminarayan Temple - One of the most popular temples in Delhi. It was very crowded, but for a good reason. This place was really pretty and it was white and red in color. I bought a book full of photographs and postcards (first time having to bargain haha). I really liked this temple.
*
After all these sights it was to to head back to the hotel. It had been a long day, even thought it was only half a day of sightseeing. It felt like a week. Will not get into all the other sights on the street, it really is too hard to describe. I would much rather talk to you all about those things in person! Much more more interesting and well you will find me talking for days 😉!
I slept like a baby again and had a full day tour planned the next day. Will get into what I went to go see befow. My driver was Chavi again, and I was so excited! I knew I was in for a fun day!
DAY 2 - More sightseeing; (doesn't matter what you plan to do in India, you can't help but feel like a total tourist once you arrive, there is SO much too see)
*Parliament Buildings (Sansad Bhavan) - This is where the President of India has his office. The buildings are really pretty. Feels like royalty lives inside. Lots of smog surrounding it unfortunately.
* India Gate - The creme de la creme! Loads of tourists and people wanting to sell you all kinds of goodies. The gate is huge! It is wonderful memorial however and it really stands tall and proud.
*Qutub Minar - Also a very busy spot, but worth seeing. I met Belgians here. They were on business and the lady with them had broken her ankle days before leaving for India. She was getting around just fine with her crutches, but a lot of people were looking at her funny. As I was walking around with one of the Belgian guys, we noticed that a lot of th school children wanted to take our picture. Many school kids at many of these famous sights. They love to smile at you and wave. And the cutest part is when you send a smile their way; they blush! Indian girls and women are very pretty! And they wear really colorful clothing.
*Humayun's Tomb - Famous for it's design. Which was an example for the Taj Mahal also. This place is magnificent and has a really magical feel to it. The moment you enter some of these places, you are simply speechless. Words cannot describe the beauty!
*Lotus Temple - This temple is the Baha'is House of Worship. Shaped like a Lotus flower (surprise!). It is a very modern building (Build in the 80's) and it is very clean and new looking. I find the Baha'is religion a very interesting one. As it focuses around the concept of mankind all being part of one single spiritual unity.
*First lunch with the locals - I asked Chavi to take me out to lunch at a place where locals eat lunch. So that I wouldn't feel like a tourist haha. It was very neat. Lots of children once again and they all stared a little. Then without warning a lady came up asking where I was from and if I wanted to be be in a picture with her and her daughters. Oh of course I felt flattered and took a few pictures with my own camera too. Situations like this will make your heart melt! (Yes, even if you are a total manly man haha)
*Red Fort - Extremely busy area, but once again for all the right reasons. This place is massive! Can see why it is so famous. So many designs in one building. So much too see! I met 2 German guys at the fort, they had been traveling in India for a few months. They were really nice and we shared some laughs as we were walking inside the Red Fort. As it got bit later, it was time to head out. Chavi had been waiting for me outside the gate. Note: Old Delhi is extremely busy, actually it is very overwhelming haha. I was glad to not have been completely alone at the time. I offered the German guys a lift to their hotel which was nearby the Fort. Chavi of course was more than happy to help out, which made my new friends very happy also. It was their first afternoon in Delhi and the traffic was a bit of shock! We exchanged names and emails and I took a quick picture of them too. I know I am going to meet many more people along the way, so I try to write down all the names, don't want to forget any of them.
Day 2 was coming to a close and I was pretty drained. Felt like I had left my head at some of these places and had to drag that plus my tired body back to the hotel haha. When I got back to the hotel I met up with Sunil to talk about getting me a trip from Delhi to Goa in the next little while. I was very eager to explore more of India! I aranged for a 9 day trip which will be by car and train. I will get to see a lot! I went ahead with it, since I knew it would of been pointless to plan an of this by myself. First time in India...I was going to need some safe guidance haha.
Once again I slept like an angel. This place will tire you out but in a good way. I now get to say I have been to all of these beautiful places and have pictures to prove it. Gotta remember...you only live once right!
The next morning I checked out of the hotel and got ready for the 4 hour drive to Agra; where the Taj Mahal resides! It went pretty fast. Once again, my eyes could not believe some of things I was seeing on the road. Just blows you away. Finally I started seeing the Taj Mahal signs! That is one exciting feeling. To be here and to see this famous place for real. Not just a picture online or in a book, nope with your own eyes!
The whole area near the Taj is very crowded and full of parking lots and rickshaws. No form of transportation is allowed after a certain distance (because of security and pollution, hence the building is the whitest color imaginable lol). My driver parked in the parking lot and I ventured out to the entrance. First picked up my ticket, which is A LOT more for tourists than the local fee, but it doesn't even really matter, once you are there. After walking through the building that leads you to the Taj, you finally make it to the one and only...
The majestic Taj Mahal.....I was speechless...my jaw dropped and I did think I was stuck in a dream. It really deserves all of it's praise! It is so beautiful! It is the whitest building I have ever seen in my life. As in post card white! As in "it looks photo shopped" kind of white! Haha. It is so majestic and very big as well. There were obviously lots of people there and it was a big overwhelming at first. The people, the Taj, the beauty! A lot of people were there to take your picture for a fee, but I just asked some tourists to take my picture in front of the Taj. Jeez, even to have one picture of yourself in front of that wonderful building will have you smiling for days! Seeing the Taj Mahal in person will now be one of the most greatest experiences of my life! I did not go in, but I did get to touch it and got a picture taken upclose and personal. It is very pretty 😊.
A very special moment, no doubt! The Taj Mahal is trully gorgeous and very much worthy of being a wonder of our world!
Sigh.....
I am going to stop here for now...I think this first entry out of India will make you all wanting LOTS more entries 😉
India has already changed me in ways I never thought possible. India is by no means for everyone, but I am so glad I booked that ticket to Delhi, because it is one great journey already! Funny,,,that it is only day 4!
I am so happy to be sharing this adventure with you all. Enjoy the read and most importantly Keep in Touch! 😊
Love & Peace & Namaste!
-Chantal
Ps. WOW WOW, I am really ready for bed now haha. More to come of course after I am done getting to know amazing Jaipur! Will tell you that this part of Rajahsthan is lot more relaxed and not as chaos as Delhi and Agra. Can't wait to explore tomorrow.
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Jamie
non-member comment
What an adventure!
Do it all girl! Keep up the great blog entries!!