Yesterday's travel from Jaipur to Agra was my most death defying journey yet. Considering how popular the road is as a tourist link, my assumption was that it would be at least bitumen. It was, kind of, but it was moreso a dirt track complete with divided road (your choice which side you drive on), all forms of livestock, burning vehicles, and people just generally hanging out on the highway. The soundtrack of Ricky Martin, Vengaboys, Backstreet Boys and multiple Indian dance anthems made the trip fly by though.....
This morning I visited the Taj Mahal, the world's greatest monument to love, which certainly lived up to the reputation. I always thought it was a palace, but it's actually a mausoleum for the wife of the 17th century Emporer Shah Jahan. Mumtaz Mahal, the bride in question, died whilst delivering the couple's 14th child. Who could blame her for taking the easy option.
Old Mr Shah must've been pretty under the thumb though, as he employed 20,000 labourers to build the Taj, taking a total of 22 years. At the completion of the building, he cut off the right hand of all the skilled tradesmen so they could never build another structure of the same quality. Heavy.
Halfway through the visit, I realised I had eaten my first dodgy curry. Lets just say it was a dead heat.
Last night was the interesting part. I had arranged with my driver for a 5:30am pickup to go and see the Taj. I awoke at what I thought was 5:30 to some loud banging on the door. 'A little over-enthusiastic for this hour?' I thought to myself. I checked my watch and it was in fact 3:30am. I opened the door, covered in a mear scrap of Bonds undies, to find 7 Indian police officers brandishing very big, very aimed, very scary looking guns. A million thoughts rushed through my paranoid head as to why they would visit me, but before I could pinpoint one they were in my room telling me very loudly to sit on the bed with my hands up. They looked in the bathroom, under the bed, in the cupboard, out the window, then left, slamming the door behind them, leaving me a little perplexed to say the least.
Once I was dressed, I asked the manager what it was about. He said it was a 'tax problem'. Yeah buddy, and I'm Krishna. I later found out 2 Japanese girls who were supposed to be staying at the hotel were missing. I don't know what has happened since. But don't worry, I'm fine.
I also saw a couple of impressive forts.
