Day 4 - Delhi to Agra - Thursday 20th October 2011

We were up and out early this morning, 4.45am to be precise, to meet our taxi. The taxi ride was about 10 mins to New Delhi station where our train was waiting for us at platform 1. Although this was is only a 2 hour train journey we still got breakfast, warm milk and cornflakes followed by a spicy samosa! The journey was interesting - watching the world go by and the locals having their early morning poo on the train tracks! Before we knew it, we'd pulled into Agra (home of the Taj Mahal). It was hilarious watching Soph with a rucksack bigger than herself, the locals loved it too! After leaving the station we grabbed an auto rickshaw, our driver called Ravi (we're starting to wonder if every driver in India is called Ravi?!) and headed for our next homestay at Heritage Homes. This is a nice house just outside of Agra and about 15mins from the Taj. It's run by a nice Sikh man - Mr Singh. We got to our room at about 11am, snoozed for a bit then headed for the Taj Mahal at about 1.30pm… … We arrived at the south gate and bought our tickets (750rs each). It's so strange but you don't see the Taj from outside, I had visions of this massive palace shooting into the sky, but it is actually well hidden by various gates, forts and buildings. Once you get through the gates, it's a short walk until you see it, but when you do, it really is spectacular! We had spoken to people and read how amazing it is, and it will make you cry, and how it's something to behold. Well I just thought they were being soft, until I saw it, and it really is unbelievable and leaves you slightly speechless and totally in awe. Soph and I stayed looking at it until sunset - about 6.30pm, during this time we were asked for our picture about a million times and had a half an hour conversation with an Indian couple. Back at our homestay, Mr Singh's daughter cooked us a lovely dinner and we sat and chatted with fellow travellers and the Singh family before heading to bed for some well needed sleep.

Day 5 - Agra and then train to Varanasi - Friday 21st October 2011

Another early start! We got up at 5.30am and met Ravi, our auto rickshaw man, to go to the Mahtab Bagh Park which sits directly opposite the Taj Mahal and is said to be the best place to see the Taj. It is a park of landscaped gardens on the other side of the river to the Taj and apparently was where the Emperor Shah Jahan planned to build the complete opposite to the Taj - a black version, but shortly after building the Taj Mahal he was arrested by his son and imprisoned in the Agra Fort until he died and so it was never built.Sunrise from this spot, over the Taj was pretty extraordinary. We stayed for a couple of hours and enjoyed the moment before heading off to the Itimed-Ud-Daulah (nicknamed the baby Taj). As we walked into the gate, we realised we hadn't brought enough money with us to be able to go in and so we had to borrow the money from Ravi, our auto rickshaw man! Slightly embarrassed and red faced, we made our way through the gate into the grounds of the baby Taj. This place is again, beautiful and as it was still early we pretty much had the place to ourselves. There is something quite relaxing and serene about walking around with no shoes on (you have to take your shoes off in most of the temples) in the early morning sun - we even managed to have a cheeky kiss in a hidden part of the back gate overlooking the Yamuna river. As we were leaving, I tried to get some pictures of the monkeys playing on the grass; one of which didn't take too kindly to this and ran up to Adam and I and hissed - Adam nearly jumped out of his skin, so funny! Come afternoon, once we'd gone back to our homestay, had some breakfast of paratha stuffed with spicy potato and had a nap and shower, we headed out again to the Agra Fort. This is similar in style to the Red Fort we visited in Delhi but is actually much greater in detail and style - the marble work is pretty remarkable. Weary from sightseeing, we headed to one of the high level restaurants with a view of the Taj and eat a dinner of vegetable biryani and masala paneer with butter roti's, followed by the time old Indian traditional, chai tea. Thoroughly chilled and full up, Ravi took us back to our homestay where we sat with Mr Singh and his wife chatting and learning about India and its religions, politics, culture - we even saw the family photo album of their daughter's wedding!We've been so lucky with where we have stayed so far - both with very welcoming and warm Indian families who have made us feel like one of their own children, we couldn't have asked for a better introduction to India. Tonight, we train it from Tundla to Varanasi so after a heartfelt hug and goodbye from the Singh's, we headed for the station. 3 AC sleeper class is a small carriage that has 8 sleeper berths but actually, as it turned out, it was 9 Indian men and me and Adam! After lots of staring and laughing from the Indian men, we got our heads down and slept on and off for the 10 hour journey. Next, the Holy city of Varanasi!