Agra and Fatepuhr Sikri

From Varanasi, back to Delhi. I traveled to Agra by train - a one day trip. This turned out to have been *way* too much for one day!!! The train ride was uneventful, as are most Indian train trips. Again, my name was right where it was supposed to be on the printed list. Was met by a driver in Agra, and we went to the Taj. We have all seen the pictures - over and over and over again - but I was still a bit overwhelmed by the reality of being there. I was perfectly happy to sit at the side for a long time and just be there... watching the people. This was my first experience of Indian families wanting to take my picture, which has now happened to me a number of times. First, someone comes up looking almost beseechingly and gesturing to their camera, indicating that they want to take a picture. I am confused as to *why* they might want to do that, but I agree... and then from nowhere the entire family appears and jumps to my side so that we can all have our picture taken together. It's a very strange phenomenon. I suspect that "this is my American friend" happens with some of those pictures!

In the afternoon, we drove to Fatepuhr Sikri, an ancient and deserted city. I'm usually not so much for old archeological stuff, but actually found this fascinating.

Then back to Agra. By then it was very late in the afternoon, and I was just exhausted. The driver turned on the charm, wanting to take me to his uncle's shop or factory or whatever. I declined. He insisted. I declined. He insisted some more. If memory serves, I was only able to end that scene by being pretty harsh with him. He dropped me at one of the nicer Western-style hotels, where I sat in the lobby for an hour or two until train time - and actually fell asleep sitting up. (This was more than unusual behaviour for me - I was *really* tired.) Then back to Delhi. The train part was fine - but it would have been worth paying for two hotels for one night - ie leaving most of my stuff in Delhi and just taking an overnight bag to Agra. Just way too much for one day!

In Delhi, spent a lot of time walking around Connaught Place. I was just so happy to be in India... it did not even matter much what I actually did, which placed I actually visited. It was just lovely being there.

From Delhi back to Boston, with a heart filled with Indian memories.

First trip to India - 1996

I have studied and practiced Hinduism since the 1980s, and I had dreamed and dreamed of someday going to India. In 1996, I found (to my surprise) that I could actually afford to go! I did not have a playmate for that trip, so I booked everything solo. I'm not so much on moving from place to place (if this is Thursday, this must be Jaipur... ), so I planned on visiting only three cities -- Delhi, Benares, and Agra. This turned out to be an excellent plan.

A friend drove me to the airport, and was impressed that I had only one suitcase and one small carry-on. I told him that I wanted to be mobile, and able to take care of my own luggage. This also turned out to be an excellent plan.

After an exhausting 18 hour plane flight, I arrived in Delhi at 2AM, found my luggage, and headed for the door.... and walked out of the airport into Bedlam. Complete sensory overload -- heat, smells, and above all, NOISE. A rope separates the crowd from the arriving passengers... and behind that rope, an enormous and LOUD crowd of people attempting to get my attention (and the attention of anyone exiting that door!). Each person had an urgent message for me about his hotel, his taxicab, his services. After a few *very* confusing minutes, I spotted a man holding a sign with my name on it. This was an enormous relief -- a note of sanity and familiarity in the midst of utter chaos. (I had prearranged transfers from airport to train station, train station to hotel, etc. for the entire trip. Excellent plan #3.) So my driver whisked me and my bag to his taxi, and drove me to the train station. En route, he handed me an envelope of vouchers for pre-paid elements of my trip. We arrived at the train station, maybe 4:00AM or thereabouts. He took me to the "Ladies Waiting Room," wished me a good trip, and left. (If I have managed to convey a configuration of CRAZY WILD LOUD CHAOTIC suddenly dropping off to very very very quiet, then I have painted that transition reasonably well.)

This part of the trip was not such an excellent plan. Since I planned on spending most of my vacation in Benares, I thought it would make sense to just go directly to the train from the airport. I know now that it makes *much* more sense to go from airport to hotel for one day of rest and recuperation before traveling on... but this was my first trip!

So there I was, in the middle of the night in a train station in New Delhi, all by myself, expecting to board a train to Benares in a few hours. That was the *one* time I seriously questioned my own sanity in thinking I could do this trip alone, without even a tour guide as an anchor. There was NO way I was going to sleep!!! So around 6AM my suitcase and I headed down in the main area of the train station. I found a chai wallah, made my way to the counter, and asked for chai. The chai wallah handed me a cup of hot chai, and I gave him 100 rupees -- I only had 100 rupee notes. He took my note and happily walked away. When I realized that he had no intention of giving me change from that note, I said one of my very few Hindi words - "Nahin! nahin!" Or "No! No!" complete with slapping the fingers of my right hand against my left palm as if to show where the change was expected to be placed. The men at the counter laughed uproariously, and were calling out to the chai wallah. I can imagine that they were saying something like "She's got your number, brother!" With no further ado, he returned to me with my 97 rupees in change from my 100Rs note.

I wonder how many tourists pay 100 rupees for their first cup of tea in India - since at that time 100 rupees was only one dollar and change, it actually would not be an unreasonable price. But the price on the chai walla's stand said 3Rs, and that's what I expected to pay! It was an interesting introduction to commerce in India.

Then off to the train platform... and more chaos. Unbelievably crowded on the platform. Another (shorter this time) moment of concern... then I found my way to the agent who deals with non-Indians, found the list of passengers for my train - and there was my name again!

When the train boarded, someone helped me find my place. I was in a first class sleeper -- four bunks. I have no memory of the other folks in that car -- I was so exhausted by then that I actually slept.