Agra, over and out

The Taj Mahal in the morning – this required us waking up at 5:30AM, blehhh

From Udaipur, we took a night train to Agra, getting into the city just before noon. We had arranged for our hotel to pick us up at the train station, as it being a tourist city, Agra is famous for touts trying to take you to different hotels than the one you’ve booked. Our driver was friendly and chatty, and offered his services for the two days and one night we were there to take us to all the sights and show us the local flavour. Since we were there for such a short period of time, and we’d never actually hired an exclusive car to take us places, I thought it was a good idea and agreed.

As soon as we got into the hotel, the hotel manager tried to sell us the same deal, for cheaper. He claimed his driver was much cheaper and better, and gave us ideas on how to turn down the man who picked us up. It was awkward, but in the end we went with the hotel driver.

It wasn’t later in the evening that we realized everyone in Agra wanted our money. Sure, we went with a cheaper driver, but he was getting commission on the restaurant recommendations he gave us and took us to – and even told us the place we wanted to go was closed. I’m not sure if it’s a lie, but I didn’t trust the man at all with anything he said after that little incident.

Agra is a city that survives on tourism, and everyone there who has anything to do with possibly getting a buck or two off of tourists would stick themselves on us like white on rice. This included the tourism board. Indian citizens paid Rs.110 for the Taj Mahal, but tourists paid Rs.750. For the Sikandra, another major historic site in Agra, locals paid Rs.10, and we paid Rs.110. It was daylight robbery, and had a slight racist undertone that we didn’t appreciate at all.

The Sikandra, another burial site for a Mughal emperor. They had real deer in the grounds!

Since Agra was an experience that was primarily overshadowed by the money-hungry locals, I am glad we saved it for the end of the trip. Had we been to Agra immediately after arriving in India, I think it would’ve made me want to come home then. Being a little more seasoned in Agra definitely helped, and we were even savvy enough to venture down an alley where locals were feasting on street food, and partook in the action with some papri chaat and aloo chaat. Both were delicious, super spicy, and totally hit the spot after weeks of curries.

I’m glad that we saw the Taj Mahal, but seriously, after all the hassle and expensive admission fees everywhere, I can’t say it was the most amazing place we’ve been, nor the most beautiful historic site I’ve seen. Thus, over and out, and back to Delhi and then a taste of home in Taipei!