There was plenty to see around the old city, and I managed to drag a
reluctant Ernest to explore for a few more hours before we grabbed a
few beers. However, we almost didn’t get to our hotel, as our
rickshaw driver didn’t speak English or knew the location of our hotel.
Jaipur – Agra
An early morning bus was our best option to get to Agra, and we
were up earlier than usual to grab a rickshaw ride to the bus station.
The bus trip took around five hours and was fairly comfortable. With
the allure of the Taj Mahal, Agra was, as expected, a tourist trap, with
tuk-tuks, cycle rickshaws, and taxis all competing for the same
business.
Touts and hawkers were a nuisance, but I understood their
persistence and persevered, as no visit to India would be complete
without seeing the Taj Mahal. To our surprise, a reasonably priced
hotel nearby provided a glimpse of the Taj Mahal and an escape from
the chaos.
Agra
We woke early to catch the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, one of Agra's
three UNESCO World Heritage sites. Surprisingly, the monument was
closed on Friday. The closure gave us time to explore the area and
view the memorial from the rear, where a boat operated across a
small and incredibly polluted river, offering a different perspective.