Hello Family and Friends,

It's me reporting live from India. It's been a pretty crazy weekend for me here. I just got back from a long trip to Agra, home of the Taaj Mahol. We left Fiday night about 8 pm and arived early Saturday morning. It was like a 14 hour bus ride! Pretty crazy but I was thinking at least it was a sleeper bus which it more or less was. My friend Clint and I were in the very front double bunk (two person bunk) and were able to sleep for most of the ride. I slept probably from 10 to about 6. The only problem was that this was probably one of my most uncomfortable beds ever in the history of the planet. IT was rock hard and so was the pillow. I was tossing and turning all night and wouldn't consider any of it quality sleep. We did arrive safely though to Agra. As sson as we got off we were surrounded my autorickshaw drivers just begging for us ride in their vehicle. Thankfully, Jade (our coordinator) was there to speak to some of the drivers letting them know that we were students wanting to see the sites. A total of 16 of us went to Agra so we crammed all of our bodies and luggage into 4 Rickshaws which we nogociated to tour us around Agra for 300 Rupees per Rickshaw, really good! First things first we had to purchase our return tickets ( tickets were 550 rupees one way) and get some breakfast. Because I still have yet to stomach Indian food for three meals daily I ussually get the most familiar things to my stomach. I got hard boiled eggs, toast with jam, and chai tea. I was statisfied. Jade had reserved a bus but in order to get our spts for the bunkc we had to make sure we were back at the bus terminal by 7:00 to leave at 8.

So we were off to go to the Taaj. We were going to enter through the South gate which was in an area of town I would never have guessed to surround a national monument. IT felt like a back alley with as much upkeep as comes typical in India. To buy our tickets we had to shell out 750 ruppes, which comes our to be just under 20 dollars which I guess would be alright byt if you compare that to the local price of just 40 ruppes (1 dollar) you cant help but feel a little taken advantage of. Of course they did give us free locker use for our backpacks (mandatory) and a free bottle of water. All that was left was the quick screen through a metal detector guarded with soldiers with assualt rifles and we were in. Well some of us, others got stuck behind the non existent line. In India there are no lines and people just go so if your not pushy in the sense that we know in AMerica your not getting anywhere fast. Its a simple matter of claiming your space and its not really considered rude as far as I can tell. Only about 20 locals cut in front of me to I got through pretty quickly. Then we were in the main courtyard. You could peer through the seond gate and see the Taaj. IT really was worth the high price and terrible bus ride. It looks amazing from jsut about any distance. It's acutally hard to explain but I tried to take as many photos as possible and will post them hopefully before I leave.

Leaving the Taaj we made our way to the Red fortress. For those of you who don't knwo the story behind the Taaj, it was built by a King as a reminder for the death of his second wife after she had died giving birth to their 14th child. Sometime during the construction his son had taken power and imprisoned is father in the red fortress where the ex-king spent the remainder of his days only able to see the Taaj from a distance. His body and the body of his 2nd wife are I guess have been enshrined in the Taaj. The red fort also has its magnificence and like the Taaj is easier described with photos.

To finish out our Day in Agra we got dinner at the "Tourist stop" a hotel/resturant for tousrist believe in or not. I got some chow mein and gulped down some water. It had been 100+ degrees all day with little relief from the hear. Even in the shade as we were eating I was constanly sweating and everyone could feel the toll the heat was having on our bodies. We made our way back to the bus depot around 6, reserve our spots and waited for them to let us board and get our seats. Earlier that day right as we were getting on the Rickshaws a man tried selling me a small handmade chess board for 700 rupees. It looked cool and would be fun to play chess but I wasn't about to spend that much on a chess board. I constaly told the man no that I didn't want it and he lowered the price more and more. As we where about to go he had offered me 300 of which I felt still wasn't liow enough, I said fine 200 no more and he agreed pretty fast. I felt as if I had won somehow but that was truely short lived as my friend Alex (feeling 100 percent better by the way) was offered it for 80 rupess. Oh weel 2.50 wasn't all bad ecept as Alex and I played a game in the bus depot before we left he had accidently broken one of the rooks which made the purchase even less good. I guess I'll have to learn from my $2.50 mistake.

The bus home was even worse than the bus here. The bed was still as uncomfortable but this time we were in the back of the bus. This bus' suspension might as well have been poggo sticks because even the smallest bump would leave us bouncing viloently up and down. Slept seem prety much imposslbe for the time being until maybe we hit some nicer roads. I learned there is not such things as nicer roads in Inida. It wasn't until 2 or 3 in the morning tha5t I kind of felt my eyes drifting but that was easily put in check when we fly straight up and down nearly inches from the ceiling or the driver would swerve to miss an uncoming truck Nothing was really restful for this trip. But here I am safe and sound and I was forced to take a nap when I got back.

I'll be in Dehra Dun for this whole week so I hope to be able to post frequentlly. I hop everyone is doing well back in the states. For those of you who want to make an expensiuve international call my number here is 9319895510 so if you can fiigure out how to call India you can talk to me. The best time would be to call early in the mornings of which it will be late at night here. I'll keep my phone close tonight Mom and Dad and if you get this and call around 9:30 I'll keep an eye on my phone. Happy talking to you all and thank you al lthose who sent me psotings. I'll see if I can get some info about sending gifts from home so we'll see. Bye all

Taylor