Agra, city of the Taj Mahal
Well, we have made our weary way to Agra, and arrived (yesterday). We pulled in about 9 a.m., doing the last 40 km in the cooler part of the morning–from 6 am to 9 am with breakfast in there somewhere. The International Youth Hostel here was very accomodating and quite affordable, so we registered and fell asleep. I was woken by a the strange suffocating sensation of still heat that makes the sweat bead on your forehead and chest. I went and sat in the hall so the sweat could trickle down my back as well. It’s hot here, and occasionally in a regular fashion, the electricity goes out and the fans slow to a sickening stop. It was after noon anyway, so I decided to stay up and check out lunch options.
The reason we were so tired was partly due to highway travel — the constant rush and roar of fast moving vehicles coupled with the horns and jams of the occasional cities along the way–and partly due to two nights of small sleep.
The first night out of Delhi we met some other Indian travellers who had us discussing/listening to US politics and downfalls until 11 p.m. The mosquitos were just starting to party then, but managed to save “an FBR feed” inside our tent that night for between 1 am and 4 am. We were up at five with the sun.
Second night we spent camping in the eerie light of a refinery’s bursting torch tower, not far from a McDonalds (?!). One of the strangest atmospheres yet. Five a.m. just comes too early and the nights don’t cool…
But I didn’t mean to complain the whole time about lack of sleep. We’re doing better now, and I hope to see the Taj Mahal this very evening. Jim and Peter saw the morning version today. Besides that we’ll be enjoying the winding, flea-market streets of Agra for another day before we pedal west to Jaipur.
We’re feeling caught up on sleep and major monuments, mostly. Thanks for catching up with us.
June 5th, 2008 at 9:02 am
I was picturing that in my mind… or maybe because i would be in the same place in three months, all of your posts seem to be more special now. Drew, try to contemplate in front of Taj Mahal (keep a certain distance from it), about whatever comes into your mind, that’s one of the things i must do in india.
June 24th, 2011 at 10:29 am
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October 20th, 2014 at 7:09 am
The work you do is amazing. Crew the doubters and naysayers! Keep on fighting the good fight! Love, peace and respect! Long live Pacha Mama!