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Our month in Nepal was a really nice change of pace. We were busy, but we were in one spot. When it came time to leave for India, the thought of being on the go again exhausted us! Since we had a little extra money left in the trip budget (can you believe it?), we decided to make the India leg a little more comfortable. We also cut our time in India by half, basically, so we could get home sooner. So we did a little research and arranged for a car and driver to pick us up in Delhi to do a 10-day tour of Rajasthan. However, the driver didn't show up at the time we requested! (He later sent an email instructing us to go to his office, but the lack of clear communication put us off). We began searching for last-minute alternatives, figuring we could always take the train if necessary.

We ended up staying in the backpacker area near the Delhi train station, which left much to be desired (We learned that the Tibetan section of town, if you can find it, is cleaner and cheaper, but less convenient). The road was horrendous, causing all kinds of traffic issues, and the touts and shopkeepers were a big hassle. We did find a decent room for $15 with AC at the Royal Guest House. Here, we arranged for another car and driver, for $40/day, about $10 cheaper than the first guy. Overall, we were really happy with the company by the time we finished the tour. Though he spoke very little English, our driver was courteous and navigated the roads safely without honking the horn too much, which we appreciated. The only glitch was that they weren't clear from the outset that we had to pay the mileage back to Delhi (we thought we'd agreed to a one-way trip), but we were able to resolve the issue amicably (we agreed to pay half of the additional mileage, or kilometreage, as the case may be).

In Delhi, we skimped a bit on sightseeing. It was hot and crowded, and we were eager to just get on with it. But we did hire a tuk tuk for a day to take us around. We saw the Indian parliament buildings before heading to Gandhi Smiriti, the memorial to Gandhi in the spot where he was assassinated, and the house where he lived the last few months of his life.


It was a moving experience to walk along the path he last walked, and to view his minimal belongings.

After that we stopped at Humayan's tomb, which was very impressive. Already we could see the influences on the Taj Mahal -- the reflection pool, the elaborate entry gate, the architecture. Finally, we walked around the Delhi Fort, also known as the Red Fort, which impressed us with its sheer vastness.

I experienced some of the harassment we'd been warned of, and we congratulated ourselves once again for springing for the private car. (Harassment of women, foreigners and Indian, is a huge problem, especially in the poorer, more traditional areas of north, like Rajasthan. It's so bad that in some major cities they've had to implement women-only trains!)


The following day we had our driver and we drove to Agra to spend a couple of days. Akbar's Tomb was the first stop, with its beautiful burgundy-pink entrance and the interesting deer that dotted the lawns.


The Agra Fort was also impressive. Part of it had been turned into the palace where Shah Jahan spent ten years as a prisoner, lovingly gazing out of his window at his prized Taj.

The Taj Mahal was, hands down, the most beautiful building we have seen on this trip. Perhaps ever. I'm really not exaggerating when I say that it was difficult to catch my breath when I glimpsed it for the first time. The white marble practically glows against the beautiful sky, and the reflecting pool emphasizes the sheer expanse. Shah Jahan had it built as a tomb for his favorite wife who died in childbirth in the 1600's.


They say it's the greatest monument ever built for love. It's just a shame she wasn't alive to see it. You can't tell from the pictures, but there are three mosques facing the Taj, which are also beautiful in their own right (the fourth side is the river). The inlaid marble designs are intricate yet simple against the white marble, and the colors just pop. Far superior to painting as you can imagine. The stone never fades. We were also impressed with the local government's foresight in banning all vehicles from inside the area, since pollution was beginning to destroy the Taj.

We now understand why many tours leave the Taj for last, but we were happy to do it first on ours so we had the energy to soak it all in.