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Hi Everyone,     After the meal, we had a bit of a celebration not only because we had made it in one piece to Agra, but it was one of the group members birthday Rafeeq had already ordered the cake so it was just a case of tucking in to the delicious choclate offering..   So the word on everybodies lips was what are we gonna do without the bus.....Rafeeq had already advised me that the bus had been fixed and was already on its way and that by the time we had finished the meal the bus would be outside but not to tell the group as he wanted it to be a surprise ... It's amazing how quickly things are fixed in India and what with !!! so true enough, we all left the restaurant and sure enough to everyone's suprise there was our precious bus ... with Suman and Irshad. I dont think that anyone truly believed that it was fixable with such a short turn around but hey TI I (this is India right!)   

Taj Mahal  

Next Morning sure enough, there was the dreaded 0500 wake up call,up and out by 0530 to get to the Taj for Sunrise ... the challenge is to get there early enough to be the first in the queue so that you get to be the first in the gate and and snap away at the most photographed structure in the world without the blemish of another Human being in the shot !!! now what you dont know is that the queue should you miss the 1st place is massive and much jostling takes place to see who can be the 1st tour group to establish pole position. Well needless to say because we have the marvellous Rafeeq we were indeed head of the queue he jollied us up on the march down as there were a German group hot on our heels !!   I got the lead of the ladies queue and the other girls of our group fell in behind me ...Michael, created the men's queue and there we stood waiting to be frisked and the opportunity to run like the wind once inside to be the 1st in....Michael and I got chatting to the doorman .... who with a nod and a wink (not to mention a mit full of Rupees) got the chance to be the only people inside for a couple of minutes to get those all important photo's.  

  The Taj is simply beautiful. This is my 3rd visit and it never ever fails to render me speechless . It's tranquility and beauty seem to take over and a rush of melancholy engulfs your soul, build something to remember me by ... the dying wish of Mumtaz Mahal wife of Shah Jahan so he did and what an accomplishment and dedication in the honour of Love.   Back from the Taj to the Raj (our hotel the Raj Mahal) to feast on a much needed breakfast and a short rest, then out in the afternoon for the Red fort and some optional extra excursions the opportunity to tackle the ever crazy traffic of Agra to visit the Baby Taj and the view form the opposite bank of the Yamuna River overlooking the The Taj for sunset...ahhh !!   Love to everyone   Christine

Hello again everyone  

OK so there we were, our bus pulled alongside this bedlamic Indian Road. People, Buses ,Lorries, donkeys, cows ,tuk-tuks,rickshaws  you name it they were there. Rafeeq and I looked at each other his words were, 'ok partner lets go .....'   We asked the group just to stay in their seats for a couple of mins whilst we came up with an instant plan, Rafeeq advised he would do the logistics.  This was sense as he had all the numbers and my Hindi comprises of 2 words neither of which would have got us very far !!!, and I was to take care of the group.   I address the group and explained that Rafeeq was calling Delhi, as we weren't sure if it was a quick fix..we had broken down right ouside a roadside repair workshop which was lucky. This workshop compised of a lot of canvas stretched over wooden poles with a lot of engine parts spreadout on the groud and a couple of upsidedown Tuk-tuks, and tractors. There seemed to be a lot of grease and hammering involved. Meanwhile Suman and Irshard were busy trying to establish what had happened.  

All the group were enjoying this temporary delay ...people watching and enjoying the interaction of the local folk, who, I dearsay are still talking about the day the bus of tourists came to stop !!! Rafeeq had arranged for alternative transport ..it was now past 1700 and we had to get the group to Agra..the sun would be going down and it would be getting dark very soon. It was arranged for 3 vehicles 1 x for all our luggage ..1 x 12 seater and 1 x 6 but they were in Agra the opposite direction and would be 2hrs in the now rush hour traffic.  

I organised the water and made sure that the cold stocks were distributed asap, I sprayed the bus with Mossi repellent and encouraged the group to stretch their legs. The environment outside wasnt hostile we were of much fascination with the beautiful children who by know had finished school and word had spread about the stranded tourists...not to mention the 15 or so Indian Motor repair guy's who with much head wobbling,loud voices and gesticulation were trying to repair our bus.   Suman stayed with me and we kept an eye on the group, this wasnt hard work as most members were experienced Explore travellers and were thoroughly enjoying the goings on. We had local indian cardamon chai offered by the locals in clay cups the children queued to have their picture taken in raptures that we could show them what they looked like on the digital screens.  

The cars arrived we all stood in a line and in a chain emptied the back of the bus and loaded the luggage vehicle (teamwork), at around 1945 all the vehicles were with us, I organised the groups I took the 12 seater the 6 were going to follow us and Rafeeq went with the luggage. Jaded, but still with humour we all finally made our way to Agra.   We arrived at 2200. Rafeeq had already organised the meal for tonight. The group had 10 mins to wash their hands whilst I sorted the check in and gave them their keys, we were all very tired but jubilant that we had made it and the drama all seemed to have become another part of our experience...making it to the restaurant we drank beer and discussed the events ..knowing that we would be getting wake up calls for 0500 the following day to get to the Taj.     Beer has never tasted so good.    

The question was would our bus ever get to Agra.. would we ever see the forever smiling Suman and our excellent driver Irshad again ??   TBC    

All the best Christine

Monday 18th Oct    

Hello Everyone   

I havent introduced you to the rest of the Explore ! Team....Rafeeq you all know as head Tour leader .. we also have Irshad the Driver of our much needed bus, Suman who is our conductor his job is to take care of all the behind the scenes things like keeping us in fresh cold water etc. Also each town we arrive in we have a Guide and since yesterday we have with us for our time in Delhi Prashanto who is genning us all up on the sights and sounds of both Old and New Delhi. Hes been a really fantastic guide and genuinely a lovely guy.  

So today is the tour of old Delhi, in order to get there we have today used the Delhi Metro...oh what a challenge, if you think that the London Underground is busy then x 10 for Delhi..the best thing about the Metro here is the lady only carriages, so picture the scene. The carriages are filled with these beautiful elegant Sari clad Indian Ladies enter 9 rather bewildered Brits with their backpacks on the front in case of pickpockets...the carriages are already absolutely crammed in order to board the train and not get seperated from the rest of the group ie the men we have to literally launch ourselves into the throng of rather Bemused Ladies !!!  Then into that mix a couple of Indian men seeing that the Lady only carriages are no where near as full as the male carriages follow suit much to the distaste of one particular Indian Lady who very gently and with a wobble of the head (indian style) advised that they were not welcome !  

2 stops down and we arrive in the indescribable old Delhi... Now I cannot for the life of me begin to even put this into words that will give you you even one tenth of what is really like there. Imagine a bustling open air Souk type environment over head are the electric cables that literally in places make the Sky go black with their density and thickness Lord alone knows what happens in the Monsoon....its a miracle that no one gets electrocuted....So in order to have the true experience we all jump on the back of Pedal Rickshaws with drivers and head off into the throng of alley-ways and mayhem. I have managed to video record the whole experience which I will show you on return ..you have to remember that we are not alone in these alley ways there are also motor cycles, people rickshaws going the opposite direction & lots of shops and traders  ...etc and at points its only wide enough for 1 rickshaw..its  an experience of a life time ..the smells,colours and the noise its all going on !   We finally emerge from the Alleys and end up at the Great Mosque which will accommodate 20,000 worshippers (in other word its HUGE) where we ladies have to donn what can only be described as Hospital Gowns..glamorous moment !!  From The great Mosque we then need to embark on a bit of a road trip to take us to Agra where tomorrow we get to the Taj Mahal.

The Road between Delhi and Agra is 240km but Indian roads and chaotic traffic this will take us approx 5hrs, the plan is to stop midway for food and comfort break to get us to Agra for no later than 18.30ish 19.00 top line. Where we can check in to a nice Hotel get a good meal, and an early night as we need to up at 0500 for the Taj tomorrow Sunrise .  

Best Laid plans .....  

Ok so we get Half way no problem other than we are held up a little as the Delhi Traffic is horrendous coming through the South, we make the rest stop get drinks and food and a chance to strech our legs, the road speed here is no more than 50 and also the infrastructure isnt marvellous so all in all its ok . At around 16.15, we are driving through the bustling if not slightly industrial town  of Kosi ..where all of a sudden our precious bus coughs slightly billows out a whole heap of smoke and grinds to a halt.   Now the tourist buses here especially the 20 seater type like ours see the driver and front passenger in only what can be described as a seperate compartment ..there is a panel of glass so you can see through the windscreen and then a glass door behind the front seat , we all sat and watched speechless as this compartment filled with smoke as our bus decided that Agra wasnt on its agenda.  

18 passengers going to Agra whilst our bus went to pieces.  

TBC.....     Christine