SOUTH ASIA BLOG October 17th, 2024 - AGRA

 

10/17/24– We maybe get only three to four hours of sleep as we have early tickets to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. Last night was a good trial run to see how things work, so hoping all goes as well as can be expected.

We grab our box breakfast from the hotel staff and eat what we can in our room, as no food of any kind is allowed at the site. Then we book an Uber, which takes us five minutes to get to the East Gate (same as last night so we are familiar) and walk briskly to the trolley, avoiding the guides hocking their services. All we hear is, “My friend, get tickets here” or “Come to my shop” or even more boldly “You’re going the wrong way, let me help you”. Turns out we are going the wrong way for a second, but it all works out.

Once off the trolley, we head for the security line and see how long it is already (at 5:40am). I calmly walk toward the front and mingle in as Sharece waits back in line (not going to wait behind hoards of tour groups). After a moment, I find some white people who seem to speak English and ask if they can hold my place for a moment while I grab my friend who just showed up. After a nod, I get Sharece and bring her up front with me. There is a guide who stated that we need to go to the back of the line and I tell him I was already here, just getting my friend. That satisfies him as he leaves. Easy peasy!

Security is simple enough as we already know the drill, and this time they allow cell phones since it’s during the day. Soon we are off to the arch gate once more to see the Taj Mahal looming in the distance. Beautiful!

 

We walk along the water, hand in hand, enjoying the moment as we capture photos along the way. The sun rises to our right, illuminating the Taj Mahal in a light pink hue as the blue sky overtakes the backdrop. Finally, after ten years of wanting to see this magnificent marvel, and four years after our plans were originally thwarted by Covid, we can finally say we are here.

The morning continues as we make our way to the mausoleum. Built out of ivory, white marble, the Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1631 to house the tomb of the emperor’s wife. To walk inside the tomb area, we are given booties to wear over our feet and continue in a line that stretches the entire way through.

Feeling accomplished, we exit, buy a souvenir and take an Uber back to the hotel where, interestingly enough, breakfast is still being served. Changing clothes, we eat to our hearts content and enjoy the rest of the day basking in the glory of nothingness.

Side note: Our hotel room comes complete with a view of the Taj Mahal.

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