24 January 2008 – From Delhi to Agra

 

 

It’s now my third day in India and I feel I have already experienced so much.  I am in my hotel in Agra, just south of Delhi, where the Taj Mahal is.  What a magnificent sight.  I went there at 6:30 just before sunrise.  The moon was still out and the air was quite foggy making the Taj Mahal look even more majestic.  I stayed a couple of hours and watched the sun come up which then gave the place a richer feel because the marble is translucent and takes on a more yellow colour.

 

India itself is proving a real experience.  I am overwhelmed with ambivalence. There is extreme beauty here but the overriding line is poverty.  There have been times here when I have even been scared going about.  It has been a long time since I have been as scared as when my driver left me in his car to go and get some documents stamped when taking me on the four-hour journey from Delhi to Agra.  Sitting there I watched some of the locals come up who started tapping on the window asking for money.  This I am getting used to in general but what made my heart race was when one of them opened a small basket with a Cobra in it!

 

“I make the snake dance for you Sir.”

No you will not I’m thinking to myself.  Right, look away.  Ignore ignore ignore.  Please go away (He’s still tap tapping on my window).

“The snake is dancing for you Sir.”

I don’t care if the snake is laying golden eggs.  My mind is now on override.  Casually lock my door.  Casually wind up the window on the drivers side and lock his door.  There is no way that snake is coming in here.  Driver comes back.  Few.  Open door and let him in.  About to drive off so it’s ok to look at the man again.  He’s now got a dancing monkey.  Breathe normally again.  Monkeys are ok… although this was even a scary looking monkey.  Off we go.  Goodbye crazy snake and monkey charmer.  Hope I don’t see you on the way back!