So back to our story, which I think we left off in mid-December. You may remember the chaos of Mumbai . From there we jet set to Delhi to meet up with some of my sister’s coworkers. With an amazing local as our guide, the group of us set off for Agra and the Taj Mahal…

Bumping along the road, we drove through the outskirts of modern Delhi stopping every so often for a bite to eat or to pay a road tax. The last time we were driving around in a car we were in Africa. This time instead of people shoving meat on a stick through the window or jamming drinks at you, we had Indian animal charmers. You think I’m joking, but stopping on the way to Agra to pay a tax, our car was politely approached by a boy and his monkey, several men selling jewelry and what appeared to be another boy with a snake in a basket. Slightly more exotic than the offerings in Africa…

Arriving at the Taj Mahal was nothing less than intense. As we pulled into the parking lot, the car was accosted by local entrepreneurs trying to sell all sorts of “marble” knick knacks, Taj Mahal snow globes (apparently very popular) and a few Indiana Jones like whips. I can only guess what purpose the whips served. One rather jovial whip salesman, whose goods were topped off with a tuft of hair, persistently tried to get Danny to buy one. Unwilling to negotiate, we shrugged him off, hopped on a camel and … well slowly made our way to the Taj Mahal gates.

Security in India is everywhere. Since the Mumbai attacks in 2008, the Indian populace has submitted to opening their bags, being xrayed and in some places even being patted down before they enter a public place like a shopping mall or museum. The women’s line at the Taj Mahal was an interesting cast of characters. Swathed in colorful saris, women of all ages stood in line, and well, looked at us. A large school group of girls, meticulously clothed in their navy and white uniforms shyly giggled as we walked up. When their teacher motioned for us to pass through before them, each girl stared at us, shifting their eyes down as we approached. Finally one spoke up. “Hello, how are you?” She asked. Her classmates dissolved into giggles as we responded, and we walked up to the security area like queens, greeting each girl along the way.

The Taj Mahal itself didn’t disappoint. Sure it was crowded, but as we jostled around trying to get our “jumping” picture we were greeted and smiled at by nearly everyone. Some even tried to get us in their family photos, and many tried to get into ours.

We spent a few hours at the Taj Mahal, mostly waiting in line and exploring the grounds. So much time in fact that after a long, delicious Indian lunch we were too late to get inside the Agra Fort. Failing to talk our way in after the gates were closed, Danny was hounded by a street vendor to purchase a wooden chess set, which he finally gave in and purchased when the price had fallen from $20 to $2.

Driving is always an adventure, so I’ll end this post with perhaps the most incredible road experience of them all. We’ve driven through elephant herds in Africa, by penguins in Argentina and even a yak or two through Central Asia, but nothing compared to the traffic jam caused by the weddings on the road back to Delhi. For what seemed like hours we waited for bridegroom after bridegroom to make his way to the various wedding venues along the route. Flanked by an entourage of musicians, colorful lights, music and family members, an Indian bridegroom rides atop a horse or an elephant, arriving at the wedding location like a maharaja.

The road from Agra to Delhi is full of wedding venues, and since we happened to be in India for peak wedding season, every one of them was full. Displays of fireworks, bands and spinning lights met us every few minutes and the traffic backed up for miles. No one seemed to mind at all…