The American guy we met the day before, Rich, decided to join us, so our car went from two to three Americans. We got out of the hotel, to the car, and started out. Unfortunately, we really didn’t start for another hour. We had to go to a travel agency on the other side of Delhi to get a hotel voucher for Tim. Tim had asked the travel agent repeatedly if he could get all of this worked out prior to our departure so we would not take any time away from the Taj Mahal. Yeah, that didn’t work. The travel agent was full of, excuse my French, merde. So, we started out the drive at 7, not 6 am. But we did get a nice view of some highways we haven’t traveled yet. Score?
Then, we start the drive and hit traffic almost immediately. For about 45 minutes, we moved a mere 1/4 of a mile. There was no traffic light, and the people have NO CLUE how to drive unless someone is telling them exactly how to do it. Not only that, but all the drivers lay on the horn the entire time.
Honk Honk HONK!!! It was aggravating to say the least. It was difficult to sleep with the drive really leaning hard on the brake and the horn. But its okay, we are going to see the Taj Mahal! Then the driver makes a pit stop, halting the car almost in the middle of nowhere, getting out, and walking to a small hut in the road. That is when the car is surrounding by people trying to sell us crap. And this was crap. Buddha and Hindu statues, wallets, elephants carvings, bracelets, and all manners of medallions and postcards. The best was the snake charmer, who opened a basket and played a flute. The cobra sprang to life, rising up, moving from side to side, and then settling back into the basket. It was actually cool to see. They tried to get us to buy this crap or pay for the show, but we didn’t even flinch. No, nothing for you. We are not going to support the preying on hapless tourists just because you can. When the driver got back, we told him never to do that again. We have no interest in buying crap on the road.So, next stop, Taj Mahal! Not really, we went to breakfast. Or, at least, the driver wanted us to eat. We weren’t hungry, so we just sat by the car while the driver ate his breakfast. Two men who were standing at the front to the driveway came running up to us, dragging two sacks behind them. But, those sacks were actually monkeys, dressed up in costumes and with make-up on them. One was a girl and the other a boy, and when the men clapped, they would jump up and down, like frat boys at a Sir Mix-a-Lot concert. It was really sad. The animals just looked depressed. I would be, too, if someone dressed me in a tutu and told me to jump for the foreigners. I only jump up and down for snicker bars. We bought some overpriced water and then got back in the car. Fine, we told the driver, you are full, now get us to Agra.
We arrived in the city around 11am, ready to see the Taj Mahal. But the driver first tried to get us to let him pick up his friend, a “free” tour guide. This was it.
NO. We have no interest in a tour guide. He is useless to us. So, no tour guide. The driver dropped us off and the top of the walkway to the Taj Mahal, and said he would return to retrieve us in 2 and a half hours. After rebuffing three more tour guides, we got into the main plaza before the security check. You may only bring in yourself, your camera, cellphone and a bottle of water provided with your admission. Rich and I were hungry and noticed some nutrigrain bars left behind at the security check. They were still in the original wrapper, so we grabbed them, much to the chagrin of the security guard, and we just downed the suckers. They were good and very necessary.Upon entering, we walked through a tunnel before the Taj Mahal. I was ready for it. I walked through the tunnel and entered into the grounds with a view of the mausoleum in its full glory. Words cannot describe the majesty of this structure. It is breathtaking, glittering white in the strong sunlight. The whole layout is perfect, with the lo
ng reflecting pool mirroring the building in its calm waters. As I sit here and try to come up with words to express my thoughts, I am stunted. I don’t have anything. I have been looking so forward to this moment, expectations were sky high, and they were met, nay, exceeded. This building is a concrete poem, a song which has taken form. It is meticulous in its perfection, blinding in its magnitude. The only thing I think is close to this is the Vatican in Rome. Similarly, it is large, but not imposing like the Pyramids in Egypt. It is of human scale, but just barely. Maybe in its uniform white color does it give us an impression of simplicity, because it obviously isn’t simple. It is as complex as the space shuttle. It is an illusion, trickery on the mind to make one think that it is simple. Because it is utterly perfect, the mind cannot comprehend anything other than its perfection. Well, this building is perfect, of course, what else would they do? Isn’t it obvious? This is the perfect structure… there is no other option or alternative. It is what it is.The one funny aspect of the Taj Mahal is entering the mausoleum on the interior. The door is small leading into the center, but the people have no semblance of a line. No, they push and shove, trying to fit 10 people through a door that can barely fit two people. Near the front, I saw an older Indian woman struggling to exit. I helped her through, letting her cut me. She immediately grabbed for three people behind me. No way, I was helping you, stop pushing MORE people in front of me. So I pushed her through, cut off her three cohorts, and got out. Damn, figure it out, people. Use a line!
We walked around the grounds for over two hours, taking pictures, again, with locals and taking pictures of me doing stupid things in front of the Taj Mahal. I loved it. It was, as I said, perfect. We left, dropping Tim off at his hotel in Agra, and started back to Delhi airport, for me, and Delhi train station, for Rich.
The traffic was horrendous. There was no line, no lanes and no method to the madness, but we got back. It took six hours, and I was barely on time for my flight, but we got back. I was happy with the day. It taught me that some things meet and surpass expectations. It was great, a lot of fun. We had some ridiculous interactions with each other and with the driver along the way, getting aggravated and tired with the wheeling and dealing. By the end, I think he respected us because we refused to be pushed around like normal Westerners. So I learned something, let the driver eat, but tell him not to pick up the guide. He’ll still get you there all the same, but boundaries are set.Another thing I learned: Sometimes, it’s about the journey, not the destination. Not today, it was all about the destination.
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