We left Bhuj on Saturday morning for a VERY long train journey to Agra. After reaching Delhi on Sunday afternoon, we took a very crowded 3 hour train ride down to Agra where we got to our guesthouse and collapsed on the bed from exhaustion. We had been on a train for 36 hours and traveled over 1500 km.
We woke up early (6:30 am) so we could get to the Taj Mahal as soon as possible (it's best to see it earlier in the day when it is not so hot and not quite as many people). The Taj is every bit as breath taking in person as it is in pictures. We walked around and enjoyed the view for a while before heading back to the guest house and packed up to leave. We were in Agra for a grand total of 12 hours.
Our train took us back to Delhi where we had to wait for a few hours in the dirty and decrepit Inter-State Bus Terminal. The place is a multi-story concrete building that looked like it came from a post-apocalyptic world. Delhi was the most polluted city we had been in yet. You could see the smog hanging in the air and the terrible air quality mixed with the heat made it a less than desirable place. We were happy to get on our bus that would take us to Dharamsala.
We are getting used to long and cramped bus rides now. But when we woke up on Tuesday morning, we were basking in the cool, refreshing air of the Himalayan mountains! I almost cried I was so happy to be here. The weather here is much more comfortable for us mid-westerners. Dharamsala/Mcleod Ganj is the home of the Tibetan Government in exile so there are many Tibetan refugees and Buddhist monks that live here.
We will be exploring the town for a couple days before we head to our next farm!
All is good in India.
We are getting used to long and cramped bus rides now. But when we woke up on Tuesday morning, we were basking in the cool, refreshing air of the Himalayan mountains! I almost cried I was so happy to be here. The weather here is much more comfortable for us mid-westerners. Dharamsala/Mcleod Ganj is the home of the Tibetan Government in exile so there are many Tibetan refugees and Buddhist monks that live here.
We will be exploring the town for a couple days before we head to our next farm!
All is good in India.
Taj Mahal photo: What grand elegance; and you look like you fit into the scene very well. I am puzzled by the absence of tourists in your travels. So happy you made it to the comfort of the mountain region. Think of you all the time. Gram. Wanda
ReplyDeleteWow! That place looks even more impressive than it did in my geography textbooks.
ReplyDeleteDo they have a Starbuck's in there yet? Domino's? Indian Linens 'n Things? (If not, it's only a matter of time...)
Wish I could be there with you to see it.
As local comedian Scott Hansen says, "you could bring a Minnesotan to a beautiful place like the Taj Mahal, and he would say,'Geez, what do you suppose it costs to heat THIS place?'"
Love you!
Dad