11-13th July 2010
Ok, I had said we weren’t planning on going, but Joben generously and voluntarily offered personal money he received from his Uncle (real Uncle) so that we could go to the Taj Mahal. Something I definitely wanted to do, but he could certainly have come back at a more convenient time, but he went b/c I needed him to. (you won’t understand this sacrifice, but even I was wondering if it would be worth it after nearly 24 hours on a non-a/c public bus with 40-60 of our closest friends). So it looked like this. We went to church, grabbed our stuff, and around 6p we pulled out of the bus station to go to Delhi. At the beginning of the trip (just like the beginning of the SUMO trip) my inexperience provided me with a high sense of excitement and pleasure in my surroundings. (however, upon familiarizing myself with public buses, the next time I get on one I will be able to be more sober-minded and know better what I’m getting into—I would still choose to ride this style of transportation for the cost, it just takes some experience to get used to). Anyway, starting out of Manali my attitude and comfort level was better and greater than it was on the a/c bus we took to Manali from Delhi (probably b/c the a/c bus was more similar to the coach buses I was used to, so when it was below my past experiences I was let down, and upset knowing that we paid a pretty penny for that trip). Anyway, our trip ended in Delhi a little after 10a I think b/c we walked around and got on a similar bus to go to Agra that left around 11:30. This trip was supposed to take about 4 hrs, but it lasted longer due to packed Delhi traffic. When we got to Agra I could rub flakes of dirt off my neck, like skin, it was crazy. We joked about dreds in Manali, and were now seriously visualizing the potential. So, after haggling with the “auto” drivers we wound up at the Taj in our “church clothes” from the day before (they weren’t so “churchy”…haha) and somehow we were able to smile and take some classic pics. J I’m very glad to see another one of the original 7 wonders while it’s still standing, but I also will look forward to a potential future trip to experience it with less time restraints. Anyway, we spent at least an hour and half there before leaving to try and get back to Delhi at a decent hour, but our 7p bus back didn’t reach its final destination till after 1a. Ugh. (that’s 6 more hours in the bus if you’re good at math) and—for me—very inconsistent sleep over the last two nights. Anyway, out of consideration for our hosts we opted to spend the night at a 24hr restaurant at the train station. We got a great meal around 2a, but the funny security guard/ alarm clock wouldn’t let us sleep b/c of the image of the restaurant or something, so around 6:15 we went to friends house in Delhi, and woke up the whole complex till we found the right door (details aren’t important here).
By now, it was such a joy to have such a warm welcome, and a cool bath (=shower in America). Even more special was the fact that I was able to spend a few minutes wishing Cassie a (slightly) earlier happy birthday, (but it was only early b/c she was volunteering with her work in San Francisco!) This began a fantastic and special day indeed.
Peace
