Meeting Ian at Taj Mahal

what a site, advertising for Colin Walker at the Taj Mahal
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Our wake up came at 6am. We had been told sunrise was 6.21am. We opened our drapes and the door onto our balcony. The sounds and the smells hot you, the air is cloying and hangs about. the locals are about there business in the distance you can hear the early morning prayers. Our breakfast duly arrived and we sat in pjs and watched and waited. the sunrise was slow and our camera's were poised. below us the pool attendants were preparing for another day oblivious to us on our balcony waiting for something that we have heard about for years and were about to see first hand, one of the seven wonders of the world. The colour glowed onto the Taj and the sun came up.

say no more
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And Sandy & I set about packing again!!! And i prepared to meet Ian after he had been away in the Himalayas for three weeks. Joy, your pronunciation is correct. The txts started where were we going to meet. Ian didn't get them!!

And along came Ian, what a treat, he had dressed up for he occasion, a bit like when i met him really

Once again Sandy and I repeated the ritual of getting to the Taj, more money. Now how on earth will we find Ian here? We repeated our sad lonely photo's, i wore black for them today as i looked like a beached whale on the previous day. black is slimming, nes pas. I kept scanning the throngs of people looking for Ian.

and another
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We got to the entrance of the Taj when i noticed someone waving, it was Troy he had spotted us. And along came Ian, what a treat, he had dressed up for he occasion, a bit like when i met him really. He wore a Colin Walker shirt, dressmart (Aussie) shorts and trainers we have today given to the local mechanics that were on his trip. 40 degrees he was pretty wet also. Never mind he was a site for sore eyes as I had been concerned for his saftey given where he had been.

We had some not sad and lonely photo's taken and Sandy & I met the group of guys that are now Ians new friends. Great bunch of people and we joined them and did some more sightseeing.

We joined Ian's group for lunch and experienced another level of travelling in India. suffice to say i ate very little and was happy that we had arranged a packed lunch from our hotel.

In 40 + degrees it is not pleasant. the Fort in Agra does not to my mind hold anything to the other forts we had seen.

We were taken to a viewing of needle work whihc was simply amazing and then we started the long bus journey back to Delhi. It took 5.5 hours on the bus and it was not the most comfortable ride but we did have some new friends.

Sandy was very pleased when it came to an end and so was I. we arrived at the trusty Imperial. booked in and Ian and some others joined us for dinner at the Spice Trail. They were duly impressed.