Tuesday, October 2

Breakfast in hotel then leave early in the morning and drive to Agra. Check in at hotel and sightseeing tour including the Taj Mahal.
Howard Park PlazaFatehabad Road, Tajganj,Agra - 282001Ph : 91 - 0562 - 4001870E-mail : hpp@sarovarhotels.com

The Taj Mahal is wonderful. This is my third visit. The last time I was here it was with an Indian mother I had befriended in Delhi who accompanied me on a day trip to Agra. While we were here she told me it was the first time she had been away from home without a male member of her family. I like the Taj because there are so many Indian tourists here. To enter the Taj you have to go through a security check. There are three line, one for Indian men, one for tourist men and one for women. It was a long wait for the women. While I was standing in line a nice man who was supervising the line asked me if I had a pen I could give him for his children. I smiled having anticipated this request I pulled out an extra WEDU pen from my purse and gave it to him. He beamed with delight and I told him it was my favorite pen and I hoped his children liked it. The separate lines for men and women are beginning to annoy me.

Interesting note: in an effort to stave off the damaging effects of acid rain caused by pollution, tourists are carted to the Taj in electric busses. Ten years ago the LP guide had encouraged tourists to use cycle rickshaws over auto rickshaws for this same reason.

Back at the hotel I am ready for some American food. I pursued Kimberly to join me for a night out at Pizza Hut which we spot from our hotel window. Yum!!! We ask the waiter about the safety of the salad for foreigners. He explains they use only filtered water in the restaurant and proudly declares that if we trust Pizza Hut, we can trust him. We skipped the salad anyway. To bed and good night.