Namaste

The last 24 hours has really been a mixture of highs and lows so let me begin. Sit back relax maybe make a drink as it could go on a bit!!!

Yesterday we had a 5am start to visit what is classed as one of the 7 wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. We arrived at the gates around 5.45am and there was not another tourist in sight. We took our place at the admission window and at 6am it opened, we paid and entered the complex quickly followed by around 200 tourists who had just arrived by bus.

We stood at the end of the reflecting pool and watched the sunrise change the colour of the Taj from a greyish white then an orangy colour then a milky translucent white all the time geting a great reflection in the water.

By now the place was packed with people jostling for a seat on the 'Princess Diana" bench for a photo opportunity. We had 4 hours here and were not in a rush so we waited patiently till a chance came along. Mel sat and I took quite a few shots in different poses then we went to swap and an English guy tried to jump in so Mel being Mel told him to scram which he didn't seem to like till his wife then told him he was in the wrong!!!!

We also visited the Mausoleum inside the Taj where Shah Jehan and his queen are entombed, the 4 hours went so quickly but the whole morning was magical and it truly is a great thing to see.

Then it was time to leave Agra for the train station at Tundla for our connection to Varanasi this was where everything started to unfold and caused us several hours of stress!!!!

Our train was not due till 9pm and we arrived at 3.30 and waited patiently with the rats in the waiting room listening all day for our train which was due in on Platform 3. Twenty minutes before it was due we went to the Platform and waited while chatting to some Indian guys who liked football and not cricket!!

In the meantime they changed the platform number for our train and it came and went unnoticed by us on platform 4 rigth behind us!!!

This is really where the fun began as nearly everyone in India will help you if money is attached and we enlisted a cooli (porter) to try and sort out the mess we were now in. The station master refused to refund our ticket but after 2 visits and a bit of pleading he agreed to validate it for the next train which we were grateful for. Unfortunately the next train was run by the Indian Victor Meldrew who was a real a-hole and wasn't interested in our plight and would not let us on the train.

By now we had been at the train staion for 7 1/2 hours with no food and were both geting tired and a little peed off. We had one more chance for a train at 11.30 and when it arrived we just jumped on and got the cooli to try and get us a bed on the train. Money talks in India and after losing 25 quid on the original tickets we had to pay the conductor 500 Rs/6 quid so he would let us stay on the train to Varanasi.

The trains are so filthy you cannot imagine both Mel and I ended up with our clothes covered in urine from visits to the toilets and ended up smelling like a sewer for the rest of the trip.Awoke to a chorus of Chai Chai at 6.30 without much sleep and forund out that the train had been delayed and would be 4 1/2 hours late into Varanasi.

For a day that had started so perfect it ended up being very stressful, but at least we made it to Varanasi for early afternoon where we plan to just chill out today as we have yet another 5.30am start tomorrow for our trip around Varanasi and the world famous ghats.

But travelling is still great fun and for every stressful moment we have 100 great moments!!!

Lots of Love

M & M

xx