July 1, 2011 - Delhi, India

After a successful visit to the Big Apple, I thought I would be a little more adventurous and travel nearly half-way around the world to …India! 

I landed in Delhi in the middle of the night.   The heat and humidity were wonderful (maybe not for you humans, but great for a Chinese Water Dragon).  I thought New York was crowded, but it was nothing compared to Delhi.  I hitched a ride through the airport on a suitcase cart so that I wouldn’t get stepped on.

I took an auto rickshaw to my hotel for the night.   A tip for you if you ever travel on roads in India – hold on tight and close your eyes.  The traffic “rules” seem to be flexible and drivers are aggressive!

The next morning I set off for Agra and the Taj Mahal.  I hitchhiked with some tourists in their air-conditioned tour bus.  It was a long, bumpy, dusty, slow drive. 

When we got to Agra, I snacked on some local delicacies for lunch – some naan bread with tikka masala and vindaloo.   A little too spicy for my taste; I look forward to some nice crunchy crickets when I get back to Kearns.

The Taj Mahal was crowded with tourists from around the world. 

This amazing memorial was built in the 1600’s by Shah Jahan after the death of his wife.  It was a long walk for my short legs from the gate through the gardens and past the reflecting pools to the actual tomb. 

The colorful saris of the women were a bright contrast to the white marble of the Taj Mahal.  Everyone had to take off their shoes before climbing the platform to the main tomb.  The inlay designs were amazing!  Inside the tomb, I climbed up the wall to get a closer look.

After taking in the view across the river, I took an auto rickshaw over to the Agra Fort. 

Just outside the fort there was a snake charmer.  Although snakes are my distant cousins, I gave him a wide berth.   I wanted to make it back to Kearns, not be someone’s dinner.  The fort was amazing.  It was huge!  There was a great view back toward the Taj Mahal from inside the fort.  There were also monkeys inside the fort – a couple got too close for my comfort.  I’m looking forward to getting back to my safe cage back in Utah.