AGRA

So… the trip to Agra was pretty funny. We got up at 5am to leave by 6:30, left at 7 and got home at 2 am. So we were going almost the length of time it took to get to India! Basically we traveled with a huge bus full of religious tourists. Luckily it was a/c'd but the drivers would keep cutting the a/c for just fans and just plain cutting it completely when we stopped some place none of us wanted to go. The drivers make commissions from shop owners they stop at, so quite often we would have to stop and listen to shop owners give a long dramatic spiel on goods we had no intention of buying. :) We also stopped at a couple local highway restaurants which are outdoor restaurants with some plastic chairs and tables under a tarp, and (hopefully) a basic bathroom. Also, India has a method of driving that uses high pitched horns for communicating passing, frustration, or passing intersections…and we forgot my ear plugs so it was an assault on our hearing the whole time. Anyway, we made our way down the long highway toward our destination. When we arrived in Agra, we went to Agra fort and toured around a bit before we couldn’t take the heat anymore. When we arrived I noticed people taking my picture as they walked by and when we entered the main campus of the fort, Leah (my roommate) and I had a hard time getting very far since many people would stop and ask us to pose for photos with them or their children. We obliged many and it was kind of fun to meet them, but we learned quickly to keep our eyes down and to walk with purpose if we wanted to get anywhere in a short amount of time. By the time we got to the Taj Mahal (Which is absolutely gorgeous) we were all so hot we could barely manage a half hour, but that time was quite beautiful and awe inspiring.

As for the heat, it is something I've never experienced before, especially since there aren't always a/c places to escape to and the water from the vendors is never cold...and that gets blazing hot within 30 minutes. It was about 114 that day with widespread dust. We experienced a little bit of rain at one point (the first time so far!!!) and everyone was smiling and happy as we let the huge drops cool us down. {Picture: Wild dogs cooling themselves in the mud}

The best part of the evening was at about10:30 at night where we stopped in this little village so all the religious people could go to a temple (which our companion told us not to go to since it was simply a scam for all the different tour operators who split all the offerings they told the tourists they had to make). They turned off the fans of the bus and we were blazing in the heat so we all got out and started walking the dark dirt streets to enjoy the dusty hot wind. We stopped at a little shack for barely- chilled Sprites that tasted Fabulous, when there was a common power-cut and the vendor lit a candle to give us our change by…it was a cool sight seeing him sitting up on his platform glowing in the night. We also went for a bathroom break in a little outdoor cubby with monkeys sleeping on the sign above our heads, and where two women were so excited to try and speak to us (I’m pretty sure they told us we had picked a very good place to stop and go to the bathroom). When I walked in at first I was like, “ack! This is crazy!” but it was shockingly really clean.

{Picture: Monkeys sleeping (those dots are all the dust in the air being reflected in the flash!} There is a hole in the ground and when you are done you take one of the cut-open oil jugs to get water from the common large well (which one of the Indian women did for me since I hadn’t figured it out…and thank goodness because the water was very dark and intimidating!) and then pour it down the toilet. It’s pretty simple and works well! Then we sat on a bench as the locals operated their little businesses and socialized in the dim light coming from their vendor shacks. Meanwhile we watched wild dogs scrounge for trash and cows walk by or cool themselves in the soft dirt. It was really cool because none of us would have felt comfortable just sitting there in the midst of their night community time without Bachon (one of our guides from SDS..he speaks limited English but is very protective and kind). We’re all still getting used to everything and would have felt as though we were invading their space or something, but everyone was nice and just kind of went about their business as we rested.

Anyway after a few more hours bouncing down the highway we all came home, showered, and passed out. I slept later than I ever have: 10am!!! Today everyone is resting and taking time to just relax. Leah and I are indulging in only things from home after our full on Indian immersion yesterday. HaHa. We ordered omelets and toast for breakfast in our room, and are watching American movies all day in the A/C (minus power cut times). The whole team is going to get together in a bit and try to order Domino's (we've seen guys on bikes delivering before) for dinner. Ridiculous I know, but SOOO needed today!!!! So all in all it was a great full on INDIA experience, but very exhausting!