When the Taj Mahal has to make up for a lack of tigers - Agra, India - April 2016

---

Well the previous day's monkey shenanigans definitely wore us out - so much so that we completely overslept. We were looking forward to another great breakfast to start the day, but it was not in the books since we were definitely late for our next adventure. The Golden Triangle is DELHI - JAIPUR - AGRA. Before we could do the Jaipur - Agra leg we were scheduled for a slight detour - a TIGER SAFARI at RANTHAMBORE NATIONAL PARK.

So we packed as quick as we could in the chaos of waking up late and hit the road to SAWAI MADHOPUR. Just getting out of Jaipur was a nightmare because of the traffic and also (as I have mentioned before) to exit the old city the roads narrow down to one lane and there are a loooooottttttttt of cars that need to pass through that one lane. As soon as we hit the road we could see that this was going to take a while. A 2-lane road with potholes and animals galore so we could not go very fast. Yes we were in a rush because we booked reservations with Rajasthan Tour Package for our tiger safari. There was very little communication from the time I booked this and as best I could tell the tours generally started at 3 and we had a 4 hour drive ahead of us.

Well everyone has to eat so we found another road stall - this one was a little more respectable than the one in our previous blog - and all we really had time for was a couple pieces of naan and some sodas. Oh it was good naan. They made it right there fresh over the fire. As we hit the road again and opening the and opening the food we could still see the butter dripping off the piping hot naan as we were trying to eat it. Good stuff!

The road was in pretty rough shape and it felt like it was only getting worse. It was a constant watch-out for potholes, slow trucks, motorcycles, people, and all kinds of animals. We finally made it to the Sher Garh Resort in one piece. I was in a hurry because I really did not want to miss this tiger safari. I explained to the people at the front desk that I had not received any communication other than that they will pick us up at the hotel. The desk attendant was as cool as the other side of the pillow and just told us to go relax in our room. I guess there are only so many outfitters so this guy knew exactly what was going on.

Probably around four we received a call that the jeep was here. Now as a background - yes we had a 5 month old with us. As we drove back into town and picked up more people we definitely got some disapproving looks with the baby in my arms. We were squeezed in pretty good in the open air jeep. We stopped at the entrance of the park quickly to check in and we were on our way. Our books said that a TIGER SAFARI in MARCH - MAY was the best time so we were full of hope and expectations. We love seeing animals in the wild and seeing a tiger in the wild has to be right up there. We started moving - Everest was asleep and my arms were dead already and we had barely started the excursion. Up and down hills we went, stopping at times and told be quiet so they could listen. The ride was bumpy and the success little. We saw many CHITAL DEER which is native to India, some monkeys here and there, but other than that nothing else. It was nice to just be able to sit and watch, but definitely a big disappointment that we did not see anything. Probably the biggest success of the safari was the fact that Everest only said boo a couple times.

Back at the hotel we immediately went to the pool and swam with the little guy while having some refreshments next to the pool. For dinner there was no one else in the restaurant and we were treated to a prix fixe apparently because they started off with some delicacies and naan and sauces and then the food just kept coming and comping and coming and I am talking about full sized sharing dishes. The food was good and it was amazing trying all these different dishes, but we literally had to tell them to stop bringing food. It was an early night for us because I was able to get another safari for early the next morning with the same company.

We woke up in the darkness and got ready. They picked us up again and off we went with high hopes. We went to a different part of the park and had more success as we immediately saw a JACKAL and some bigger SAMBAR DEER with monkeys thrown in as a treat. Back and forth we went with the silence only being broken by a crackling radio from another jeep with information. A couple times we pulled up to another jeep and sat there waiting to be told - this is a good sign. We looked and we looked but no tigers. Towards the end we saw some EAGLES and VULTURES with a couple owls thrown in for good measure as well, but that was the extend of our animal spotting. We definitely left hugely disappointed.

The park itself is divided into 11 zones I believe and the more and more I read about it afterwards it sounds like you have the best chances of seeing tigers in zones 1 - 5, because that is where they generally tend to hang out. We were definitively not in those zones so I can't tell you how the assignment or access to those zones work. Back at the hotel breakfast consisted of various fruits, savory lentil dishes, juices, and bread.

We packed up and hit the 2-lane roads with potholes again... (you get the picture by now). This was probably one of the more eye-opening drives as we slowly made the drive to Agra. We were truly on backroads and the poverty is very, very apparent. Seeing kids standing under a hose getting a shower and seeing kids rummaging through the fields for food was a common sight. People just sitting around not doing anything - indication of no jobs. The general condition of the small towns were sad to abysmal. People hanging from trains or sitting on the roofs as they pass by our car. We also saw tons of pottery which was quite interesting. I stopped whenever I could to run into a little corner store to see what they had for sale and usually there was some interesting baked item and I am generally a big sucker for any chips. Can't imagine these towns seeing too many westerners so I generally was stared at up and down with a lot of curiosity.

AGRA was our next stop and we finally made it after another 3 hour or so drive. Our hotel for the next couple nights was the Agra Marriott (yes Nikkie got to stay at the same hotel two nights in a row). As with every single hotel the reception and welcome was more lavish than the previous. Everest was immediately swooped away and before we knew it he was paraded all over that hotel lobby as the welcoming person was showing him off to every single person in the hotel. We immediately went to the swimming pool and spent a good amount of time there.

Well if you are in AGRA then you more than likely are here for one reason and one reason only - the TAJ MAHAL. My books said that the TAJ MAHAL during OCTOBER - MARCH was the best time to see it so here we were (can't tell you why this time specifically and why it matters). Love makes men do crazy things and in this case it made an emperor built this incredible structure to house the tomb of his wife (and ultimately his) and in the modern world this structure has become one of the most visited structures in the world. One of those places that people only dream of visiting. Here we were and luckily we allowed two days because tickets were limited and we generally do not plan.

So the next day we planned on taking the day to get wedding clothes. We got up early and were treated to a breakfast made for kings. It also pretty much seemed like they were just waiting for us to come down because the moment we walked out of the elevator Everest was swept up again and carried around like a little prince. Anything you want in a breakfast was available. The chefs were available to cook your eggs anyway you like it but it was the Indian breakfast items that we were most interested in. Once they found out that we were interested in all the Indian goodies instead of the eggs they were all ears. We became their little pet project and they just kept giving us different types of Indian food and explaining what we were eating. They were truly excited that we showed such an interest. One of the items were MASALA DOSA which I loved because you went well with all kinds of chutneys.

We took a tuk-tuk into town and started our shopping. The shops were plentiful, the colors spectacular and the money as scarce as rain in a desert. Let me back up. We were dropped of on a corner and started using our phones for directions to the market. As we walked through the streets we saw beautiful doors all over the place. We finally got to the market and were surrounded by stores with beautiful clothes and carpets stacked from floor to ceiling. We found a store and Nikkie started trying on saris with the next one always prettier than the last one so it was almost impossible to decide. We found a couple saris and then the real fun part started. No credit cards - cash only. I mean they really wanted our business so one of the workers hopped on a mo-ped with me on the back. We stopped at one ATM - no cash. We stopped at a second - no cash. We stopped at a third - no cash. My driver gave up and took me back. I started setting out on foot (it was hot as a mother). Water is essential when visiting here - no matter the time of year. ATM after ATM I tried and no cash. I was later told this is a pretty common problem across India at times. I was desperate and running out of ATMs quickly when I finally struck gold. I found an ATM type machine inside a bank and I was able to get money and boy did I take out money.

Upon my return Everest was stretched out on a stack of carpets fast asleep with Nikkie sitting talking to the shopkeeper. Measurements were taken and apparently alterations had to be made before the saris were finished. Immediately I became very suspicious because what are the chances that we will actually get the clothing delivered before our departure the next day. I paid up and all we could really do was hope for the best. We made a quick stop at a men's store and got a couple kurtas for me and we were on our way.

At this point we were exhausted from the walking, shopping and the troubles of the day, but before heading back to the hotel I had to get food. As we were walking I saw a food stall with just an unimaginable amount and variety of food being deep fried. I went crazy and got as much of one of each as I thought I could handle. I got a very good selection and a lot of food and it turned out to be just less than 5 dollars all in. I got change and a homeless/ very poor person was standing close by and I told the food cart guy to just keep the change and give some food to the poor guy standing there - he got a pretty decent sized bag of food. The best part of this interaction was the fact that a local was buying food at the same time and asked me straight up "sir what are you doing buying food here" to which I answered "why would I not?" His response - "sir the tourists eat at the hotels". My response - "this is the food of your city, this is where the locals eat and this is the real Indian food so this is what I want to try it". I thought he was going to start crying and he left me with "sir thank you for trying our food". I was kind of blown away by this exchange and to this day it sticks with me like it happened yesterday. And what a true statement - people travel all across the world to third world countries and they are so afraid to try the food that they end up eating in hotels or touristy restaurants the majority of the time which makes we really sad.

Well I took my bag of goodies with me to the hotel and feasted on everything fried you can imagine including a deep-fried PANEER sandwich. The fried peppers with sauces were incredible. The one thing that we were afraid of was that the spice level would just be way too much for us to handle, but I would have to be honest and say that it really was not that bad (here and there we had a dish that was pretty hot but for the most part we handled ourselves really well). There were zero proteins and the entire feast was entirely made up of vegetables. I ate and I ate until there was no room left. Heaven for me.

The pool beckoned again until finally even the little guy had had enough. We got ready and started driving to the MEHTAB BAGH GARDENS FOR A VIEW OF THE TAJ MAHAL across the river Yamuna. We found a parking spot and walked to the entrance. We were greeted with a "sorry we are closed". I begged and pleaded and the answer remained no. I kept asking and begging and finally after paying the entrance fee and a substantial bride we were given 10 minutes. We ran as fast as we could through the gardens (it really would have been nice to spend some more time here) and made it to the riverbank. And there she was. We stood in silence. Nikkie shed a tear (yes there has been about 3 - 4 moments in our travels that has brought us to tears). We had our ten minutes and took pictures as the sun started setting and I will tell you that the TAJ MAHAL AT SUNSET is pretty spectacular. We were really excited to see this from close-up the next morning. As we drove back we found a little ceremony going on next to the river. We sat and watched for a little bit. It was a not a burial but this definitely was one of the more interesting aspects of the culture to us - how they say bye to their dead - floating and burning them in the rivers. As we were driving along the river we could see some fires in the distance on the river. What a world we live in where everyone has their customs and their believes.

Now as usual my research was somewhat limited. As we were driving back I thought it would be awesome to drive by the Taj Mahal and see what it looks like at night. This is where Google Maps took us on the ride of a lifetime. At a big roundabout it threw us off into a side street. The side street became what surely must have been a dead-end but not according to google maps. With a little street that is barely-barely able to fit our little car and with no indication of whether this was a one-way street or not we kept going. It soon became clear that this was not gonna happen. The issue is that there was no way to turn back. Just turning left was a major ordeal as the little street we were on was lined with little water canals on each side so in addition to the narrow street you also had to be very careful of not driving into these little canals. At one point we turned right and ran into a flat dead-end that should not have been a dead end according to our phones. There was no u-turn. Just slowly we backed it up all the way. Then a simple left turn became a 10 - 15 point turn to avoid people, running into the little canals, bicycles trying to get by, etc. Definitely scraped the car on the side a time or two trying to complete these turns. We eventually made it to what looked like a military barracks safeguarding the Taj Mahal and was ordered to turn around immediately. I think the guys were more surprised to actually see us having made it that far than anything else. So back we went through the same ordeal and finally, finally made it back to the main road. We cruised around a little bit looking for a restaurant when suddenly a scooter came from nowhere and took off our side mirror on the passenger side. At this point Nikkie was done and we headed straight back to the hotel. Dinner was room service at the hotel consisting of a delicious tom kha (coconut cream and galangal flavored soup w/ shrimp), the CURRY - lucknowi gosht biryani w/ tender lamb simmered with onions, yoghurt, fresh mint and fragrant spices, and last but not least a masala pizza. Yep you read that right - pretty much a chicken curry pizza and it was delicious. We definitely had fairly low expectations for this meal but it turned out to be a really good meal.

Well the next morning we were up early for our day in the sun at the Taj Mahal. We took a tuk-tuk to the ticket office, got our tickets and were driven over in a golf-cart type vehicle. We entered and our first views were of the RED SANDSTONE GATEHOUSE - in and of itself an incredible structure. As we slowly made our way through the darkness of the inside of this incredible structure we started to see the majestic building of love show itself off in the distance. At first you see the outline through the massive gate, then as it comes into view the sun hits you and before you know it there she is. The expansive GARDENS (let's be honest is there any impressive structure from the 17th or 18th century that does not have mind-blowing gardens?) greets you first but you really don't see any of it because all you can focus on is the incredible white-marble structure in front of you. Half-way there you finally notice the REFLECTING POOLS. Unfortunately on this day there was this ever-so-slight breeze so we never manage to capture that picture perfect Taj Mahal reflection. We slowly made our way closer and closer. We walked around admiring all the carvings and details. Nikkie and I sort of split up as she went searching for pictures from every angle, nook and cranny. Around and around we walked as we slowly approached it. Up the stairs we went as we finally stood next to this majestic structure. The carvings ran all up the building - intricate and mind-blowing. The inside was just as impressive, but fairly dark. People were just lounging around by either laying down, sitting down or just very, very slowly walking around. It was at this point we realized (and really knew all along) that this place deserves more than a few hours and you really need half a day or more to truly take it all in and admire. We kept strolling around (we even got in the by now customary "diaper change at a major word structure") and tried to get pictures from all angles. The side buildings are just as impressive but similar to the main gate very few people pay attention or admire these structures because your eyes are always drawn to the grand Taj Mahal that is right there and impossible not to look at. We managed to get some nice silhouette pictures since many of these surrounding structure are quite dark, but alas it was time to say goodbye as we had a wedding to attend and Delhi was still 3 plus hours away.

I will say that as a side note - we were expecting to be harassed and bothered around every corner with people begging due to the poverty of the county. On our entire trip this was not an issue at all except - well except at the one and only place we probably did not want to be bothered - the Taj Mahal. From the gate and all the way around the grounds there was always someone asking if they could help, if they could guide, if they could take a picture, etc. It was just constant and definitely not appreciated, but then again this is also the most visited place in India where all the tourists come so this would be as good a place as any.

The drive to Delhi was uneventful for the most part. We passed mile after mile of FARMLAND. We were on the "super highway" which was somewhat costly. There was a speed limit and I could not tell you that it was too strictly enforced. Well - I found out very quickly. At one of the toll-booths I was pulled over and told to hand over $100 since I was speeding at some point along the way. After a lot of back and forth, giving my license and some more back-and-forth it was finally decided that the most I would get was a warning.

Good - the Taj Mahal was an incredible experience
- everything is vegetarian (not true but a lot of the food does not contain meat) and really really good
- boring topic by now I am sure, but the hospitality at each hotel was beyond incredible

Bad - the tiger safari was nice but it was super disappointing not to see any tigers
- getting money was a very big issue
- the minarets of the Taj Mahal was under construction so it really ruined our pictures

Advice - try the local food
- as I have mentioned in a previous blog DRINK LOTS OF WATER

Lots of driving and ultimately a very disappointing side trip. But the Taj Mahal more than made up for it. We checked off 5 things including the Taj Mahal, driving from Delhi to Agra and a tiger safari. So 341 down and 5,440 to go.

Til next time from another wonder of the world

---

Photos

Taj Mahal
Might seem calm but we were pretty rushed to get this picture

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
The entrance to the park

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Traffic on the way to the park

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Some monkeys with a sleeping baby

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Saw this guy early in the morning as we entered the park

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Meeting the locals

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
He was sitting there surveying the landscape

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Mother and child

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
As you can see - no tigers in sight

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Our driver was pretty good at spotting these guys

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
Selfies with the locals

Golden Triangle
Many, many times this is what we saw in the towns we drove through

Golden Triangle
Bathing time

Golden Triangle
Pot after pot in nearly every town we drove through

Agra
Hotel in Agra with Everest making the rounds

Agra
All over town we found these fascinating doors

Agra
You think they have enough inventory?

Agra
I probably would have done the same thing to get the business but these guys went above and beyond to take care of Nikkie and Everest

Agra
They were pretty apprehensive and wanted to make sure I was sure I wanted to buy food from them

Agra
The goodies

Agra
Yes I did get one of each