After getting over my cold, we flew back to Delhi. It is too bad that my cold prevented me from really exploring the city of Mumbai more because it seemed like a very interesting place. I also had to forego the Bollywood film excursion because I needed the rest.
In addition to meeting with our partner teachers, we also had a few hours of free time this week to explore and shop. (In spite of my stories about the purchases I have made, we have not had much free time to shop and explore on our own so this break was greatly needed and appreciated.) Yesterday we drove to Agra (home of the Taj Mahal). Considering the bus accident earlier in the month, I wasn’t too excited about the ride but it turned out to be very nice (although I still could not stand to look out the front window and see the cars in multiple lanes.)
Last night in Agra we saw one elephant (Hurray! I saw an Indian/Asian Elephant in India!), several camels and a variety of other animals we had previously seen (monkeys, pigs, goats, cows, water buffalo, etc). The strange thing about seeing these animals is that they were not in the open areas but in the heart of the city…and sometimes blocking our path. (Or perhaps the strange part of the story is that we no longer are surprised to see various animals causing traffic jams…)
This morning we woke up early and arrived at the Taj Mahal around 6am. I have to say that the pictures of it do not do it justice. It is truly amazing. The other buildings around the Taj Mahal are also very impressive and incredibly balanced with the things on one side of the main building mirrored on the other side. If you come all the way to India, don’t let the 4-6 hour drive to Agra prevent you from seeing it. I also recommend getting there early in the morning before other people wake (unfortunately the peddlers seem to never sleep but at least they cannot go on the actual property.) As more people file into the grounds, it becomes more challenging to get a clear view of the buildings - especially for pictures. (Although since I forgot to charge my camera battery, it wasn’t something I had to really worry about after my camera died shortly after taking only one shot of it…at least it gave me the opportunity to not stress about photos and to just enjoy the beauty of the building.) Anyway, go see it! It is no wonder why it made the new list of the 7 Wonders of the World.
In less than 24 hours I will be heading home. It is certainly a rush of emotions...excited to get back to my normal life (and my comfortable bed) but sad to leave this surreal experience. As I fill out my evaluation forms for this trip, I am sure I will remember other interesting tidbits about the trip so check back this weekend for other stories/random thoughts. =)
