india travelogue

27-07-2003 [13:35 LOCAL TIME] - Hotel Sheela, Agra

Well I made it safe and sound - although I was nearly mugged by two men at knife point whilst walking to the station. I was saved, after handing over some money, by a rickshaw whallah who advised me not to walk any further, so I paid him 20 rupees and he pulled me the last half mile. That was the first time in my life that I actually felt scared whilst walking. Agra is totally different from Delhi and it's looks like a battleground. I've been to the Taj Mahal and it was absolutely breathtaking. With all the bad things that have happened whilst being in India, i can safely say - it was worth it just to see the Taj Mahal. Also great was the train journey here. We passed so much life and it's amazing to see how people just seem to live on the railway tracks with no house or any possessions. The place I'm staying in is quite cheap, 350 rupees (£5). I'm planning to arrange my train back to Delhi or possibly Jaipur tomorrow and leave the day after. I've been speaking to an English girl who has just returned from Nepal and she said, "Don't go" the whole of Kathmandu is flooded, totally underwater, due to the rainy season and most things are closed. Some other time. When I get back to Delhi, I'm going to switch my China flights and head to China. I haven't (probably) seen the best bits of India but that said, the Taj Mahal was amazing, so I'm happy. My stomach is still bad, but an improvement over yesterday...the diarrhoea has turned clear and watery, but the blood appears to have gone. I saw my first rain today since leaving England whilst on the train, and did it rain, Jesus - total flood!

- Matt.

Went to the railway station this morning to arrange my train ticket back to Delhi. Hotel to station, 80 rupees by rickshaw. The station is about 15km outside the town and the driver, "lucky", really earned his money. It's a shame when I organised to use him tonight to take me back to the train station he said 300 rupees. Guess those 30k's did nearly kill him and he didn't want to do it again. I'm going to rearrange my flights to Hong Kong when I get back to Delhi - it's time to go to a civilised country for a while to chill out.

-Matt.

With this being my last evening in Delhi, I thought I would jot down my highlights and lowlights. The big highlight would definitely be the Taj Mahal in Agra. It is without doubt the best piece of architecture I have ever, and probably will ever, see! Nothing even comes close. From seeing photographs of the Taj, you expect it to be white, but it is not. Being made from marble it glistens in the sunlight and is whites, yellows, pink and oranges all at once. Also the train trip between Delhi and Agra was great and it was amazing to see how the people just seemed to live on the railway tracks and under road bridges. The main low points were the people. I'm sorry to say it, but they are probably the worst people I have met. All the problems I've encountered whilst in India, except for the dysentery, have been at the hands of the people. Getting ripped off is a daily event. Getting nearly mugged luckily was only a one off, but very scary. Not being able to trust anyone makes travelling tedious as you just close off from everyone, don't ask for help and struggle. I was really looking forward to India but am now glad to be leaving. The last week has given me the opinion that India has to be seen from the cocoon of an organised tour. Maybe one day I'll return with an arranged tour...the Taj Mahal get 10/10, just a shame it is in India....

- Matt.