I woke up this morning with a mosquito bite, smack dab in the middle of my upper lip. I looked like a juvederm treatment gone bad.. Perfect start to a day of picture taking. ;)
We left Lucky's around 6am to try to beat most of the crowd to the Taj and to get to see the famous sunrise hues. Everyone else had the same idea. They had separate lines for Indian women, foreign women, Indian men, and foreign men. Simon appropriately noted this was one of the few times he wished he was an Indian woman... Their line was significantly shorter.
Everyone told me that the Taj looks just like the pictures and several said that they were underwhelmed by the monument. I could not disagree more! I was struck with awe after turning the corner and seeing it in the distance! Just like the Eiffel tower and "the David", my mind could not fathom the actual size of the structure without seeing it with my own eyes. Breathtaking! I'll post pictures on Facebook, but they will look just like everyone else's pictures, 2-D and boring. Go there, people!
After hanging around the Taj for a couple hours and snapping some of my standard "look at me, I'm in front of something important" shots, we headed back to Lucky's for breakfast. Everyone ordered the American breakfast... I made sure to make note to my America-hating companions about their succumbing to the US's worldly power. They weren't as amused. ;)
Next stop was the Agra fort. Again, pictures don't do it justice. Massive... And entirely poor use of resources (marble)... But I guess that's what history has going for it. Between these two monuments, I have become very intrigued by Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj for his FAVORITE wife and a co-constrictor of parts of the Agra fort). If it's marble, it's Jahan. Sadly, this man lost his wife at a young age, built her a massive monument that took 17 years to construct, then was held captive BY HIS SON, in his own fort, with a view overlooking the monument of his dead lover. Sad day. And then the British came and all went to hell... Gotta love colonialism
I had some time to kill before heading out, so Lucky took me down to the south bazar for some henna that I've been wanting. Some guy on a street corner came highly suggested from Lucky's wife... She was correct. He seriously finished my entire right arm in less than 15 mins. I was too broke for both arms, so I settled with one. Pics to come.
Lucky came back to pick me up on his motorcycle. I braved the one-arm grasp ride (to not smudge my henna) through Agra on his bike. While I consider him a good driver for Indian standards.... There were a couple moments when I feared for my life... Or at least the skin on my legs.
On that note, let me explain to you the details of driving in India:
1) the only necessary supplies you need are a working horn, gas pedal, and headlights that can flash. Rear-view mirrors, road lines, brakes, helmets/seat belts... These are all obstacles getting in the way of traveling from point A to point B in the most aggressive manner possible.
2) if you are passing someone on the left, honk. If you are passing someone on the right, honk. If you want someone to move over so you can pass them... if you want someone to go faster than they are going... if you see a pedestrian too close to your path... or if you are traveling 40+ MPH in the wrong lane with a car coming head on as equally as fast.... Honk. Sometimes flashing your lights is necessary as well, but I'm unsure as to when this is the case.
Thus, you can hear the excitement in my voice as I tell you that Lucky suggested I take a taxi to Delhi from Agra (a 4 hour trip). He "knows a guy" (just like everyone else in India), so he got me a good deal on a driver for the trip (about as much as it would cost to get to O'hare from my apt in Chicago), so I took him up on the offer. Things started out safely, but eventually became nothing short of riding in a demolition derby on the highway. There were a couple times when the driver slipped on his seat belt. This terrified me... What could be ahead that he knows about that I don't?! Oh, and the buckle to MY seatbelt was nowhere to be found!
I tried to just close my eyes and take a nap, but my 19 year old driver (and self-proclaimed new best friend) found it necessary to learn everything about my personal life possible. The obvious question, "are you married" always makes me want to lie... But then I would have to make up a series of lies afterwards that will inevitably follow... So I just told the truth. This was followed by "you not married?! everything ok? No problem?". No sir, there's nothing wrong with me. ;)
Alas, I made it to Delhi in one piece, although some of my dignity may have remained in the car. After getting through security I ran into Sheetal (a friend from med school that was also studying in India, but in a different part of the country)! We sat, drank, and discussed our adventures.... And I realized how excited I am to be going home to see my friends and family. What a fantastic end to an even more fantastic trip! Thanks for reading, and I'll see you back in the good ol' US of A!
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