29 Feb 2012 - Am I really here?

Early start to the day! Again paranoid of not waking up in time I catch out train albeit with 2 alarms, I was awake at 4am an waited until the alarm rang at 5am! I sprung out of bed with enthusiasm .... We were off to see the Taj!!!!
The locals are nice and we had several long chats with a few in adjacent berths in between episodes of me dosing off. Again, I had a window seat and this time the land was waking up so I could see what was going on. Unfortunately this country is so poor it's like a war zone. Heaps of rubble and rubbish everywhere you look. People pooing and peeing on the train lines openly facing Tom, Dick and Harry! We also had lots of company on this trip... Lots of mice! They crosses under seats... And I'm not referring to just one or two! I think I spotted more than the fingers on my hands!
Our tour guide was waiting for us when we got there and was friendly. We chose to go round by tuk tuk rather than by AC taxi. We are loving the pollution (haha not!) - we chose it for speed in getting around and price! We got to our rather modern looking hotel - freshened up and left!
All the fuss about the Taj is not in vain! It REALLY is spectacular! It's big, it's bold and it's beautiful! There is so much intricate work and it's so clean, you think you're in some different planet! Here is a taster in my photos!
We spent a few hours here, then visited the Baby Taj and then crossed the Yumanara river to watch sunset !!!!
What a satisfying day! To actually be there left Gabie and I a bit overwhelmed and speechless - we didn't talk much but were overly content... To say the least!!!!
We finished our evening with a Veg dinner! Quite different from Rajasthani cuisine (we are now in the Uttra Pradesh state).
The person who organised the tour (the boss) also came to pay us a visit at the hotel to make sure our tour went ok and that we were safe and sound ! How nice of him!!!!!!
Anyways I need to get in the washing machine! I am and feel filthy! Iswed johrog l-ilma!!!!