Escaping Delhi in search of true love
Rajasthan Roadtrip: Part 01
The Taj Mahal has long been on my radar from ever since I could remember. It is an enormous mausoleum complex commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the remains of his beloved wife. The story of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, defied the eastern world’s concept of impersonal love as they had a romance quite rare for their time.
After a 9 hour flight, 3 double vodka oranges (they got mixed up with what I asked for), and about 2 hours sleeping upright, we landed in Delhi. I had mixed emotions of nostalgia and fear for what may be in store for me for the next 2 weeks. But overall I felt so excited to be back.
After passing through passport control and picking up our bags, we stayed in the arrivals part of Delhi airport to help us get our bearings. Once you leave the airport you can’t come back in, so take this time to make use of the Free WiFi, ATM’s and the air conditioning. Our first mission was to try to get money out and organise a taxi from Delhi airport to Agra.
Getting there — Delhi to Agra
It is roughly 3.5hours drive from Delhi to Agra and should cost around Rs. 3000 (£34). You can get it for this price if you use the Ola Cabs outstation app, but you need an Indian number to book. Because we are tourists and fresh off the plane, we could only negotiate a taxi to 6200 rupees (£55)
- Option B : Train which takes roughly 2- 4 hours. Here is a good post on how to do that.
Where to stay
- Budget
- Sunita Homestay This homestay is run by Sunita and her husband Mr Sunita. Rooms are basic but the hospitality is great. They are there with a cup of tea whenever you meet, and they will help with booking trains or taxis at no extra cost. The location is really the best part, it is just a 5 min walk from the Taj Mahal! (£11 for 1 night)
- Luxury
- Oberoi Hotel I have read that this is one of India’s best hotels, as much for its proximity to India’s most celebrated attraction — the hotel is modelled on an Indian palace, with expansive use of marble, large reflecting pools, colonnaded courts, terraces and pavilions.
Visiting the Taj Mahal,
I have been to India 5 times before, and had yet still to visit this 7th wonder of the world. I initially thought that it wouldn’t live up to its expectations, but it is really worth a visit. You can see up close all the minute detail that went into this structure. And the design of patterns and symmetry are stunning.
Main things to know:
- Cost — 1000 Rps (£9).
- Get there for sunrise to avoid the huge crowds.
- You only need a few hours to wonder round the Taj Mahal, we were back at our guesthouse by 8:30
Our first 24 hours are exactly how I remember coming to India. All of your senses are immediately immersed with sight, sound and smells. Some are a delight and others not so, but you definitely are awake and alive. The only annoying part was getting out of Delhi, but to be honest I expected this. My excited for the next two weeks road trip round Rajasthan soon overcame this.
Next stop Bundi!
