OK so we left you last with our flight from Jaipur.  We notice there have been a fair number of views but no comments ...hmmm...is it that worrying?  Anyway...since then we have been through Agra and Varanasi and have now arrived in Calcutta. 

 Agra:  Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal...oh look its the Taj Ma-frikkin-hal.  As you can probably tell we saw the Taj Mahal...many times ...from every possible angle ...twice!  After paying 750Rs (about 8 quid) for being a foreigner (20Rs if an Indian) we were determined to get our moneys worth.  We decided to get there early ...no not 10am ...5:30!!  Yes such a time does exist ..and yes we werent in the best of spirits ...but we were there!! Once inside we did marvel at it ..Helen did take 100 photos (Claire only took about 50 as her camera battery was running out).  It was beautiful and amazing and everything you can possibly hope to see at the Taj Mahal.  We got a little bit of Taj fatigue around 8am and so went in search of food.  After a litte fatty greasy breakfast (the only kind in india) we headed out to see Agra Fort.  After being stalked for about 3km by a school boy in a pink bike who refused to talk to us or overtake us we arrived infront of a big red fort.  Not unlike the red fort in Delhi or Amber fort in Jaipur.  Fort fatigue had already set in. We got our moneys worth and took the obligatory photos of ...yes you guessed it ...the Taj.  After the fort we decided to go in search of a Chapatti board for Claire.  Going to the 'local' market for local people we were constantly stared at but not hassled to buy which was ..refreshing.  After an hour or so of unsucessful hunting through streets lined with hanging animal carcasses and wooden foot shops (seriously liek 4 or 5 in a really small area ...how many wooden feet does one district need???) we called it quits and got a rickshaw to get some grub.  An aloo gobi later we hopped into another Rickshaw and headed to another Taj ..the baby Taj.  After dicsovering the 200Rs entrance fee ...for something less impressive than the Taj we decided not to enter.  Instead ..a much more sensible plan i think you will all agree...was to walk in the heat of the day towards a park ...with a view of the Taj of course.  It being substancially further than it looked on the map (stupid lonely planet maps) we soon were dying of thirst and so stopped off at a random shop officially in the middle of nowhere.  Within 2seconds of sitting down with our Pepsi we had quite an audience ...downing the pepsi to escape the crowds (mmm gassy!) we hobbled onwards.  Stopping not very much further on under the shade of a bush (with a view of the Taj!!!) we were joined by a "holy man".  Apparantly he was not only a hindu holy man, a policeman but also...wait for it ...you are going to be jealous!!  ..a reincarnation of Jesus.  I mean wow this guy had it all, but wanted more in the form of us.  We left.  Finally reaching the park ..which turned out to want to charge us 100Rs entrance we took a sharp turn and followed the edge of the park down to a beach with a better view of the Taj.  Claire unsensibly in red attracted alot of cows with rather large horns but found that the finger point kept them at bay.  Rehydrated with some water out of a bag ..which tasted like plastic we started back to the hotel.  Collapsing in the room from heat exhaustion.

Day 2:  Feeing like we had seen everything Agra had to offer we headed to nearby Fatepur Sikri.  After a harrowing bus journey we arrived.  Swiftly met by Mr X (cant remebr his name ..oooops!) an imam in training at the local mosque.  Befriending us he took us up to the religious bit ...what seemed to be a temple inside a mosque but we arent quite sure.  After showing us the sights here he offered to show us the palace for free.  Always up for saving money we agree.  After trudging across a desert landscape to arrive at the elephant graveyard (Lion king wooo) Mr X enacted how the marharaja used elephants (apparantly wise) to decide between 2people either for crimes or for wives!  The elephant stamps on the one thats bad ..the other goes free or gets married to the Maharaja.  Feeling a little hot and weary we made our excuses and left.  Feeling Taj withdrawl we headed up to the rooftop restaurant of our hotel to have a sunset view of the Taj and dinner.  Catching the train later we headed for Varanasi.

Varanasi: Ooops.  We lined the king of silks pockets.  Rewind...  OK so we arrive and first off take a stroll down to the local burning ghat (where cremations are preformed).  It was amazing to see the spectacle and actually how clean the ganges looked.  We got some extra information on the burning ghat from the ghat owner himself ..who inncidently is a very good friend of the king of silk.  After telling us about the working of the ghat he asked us if we would like to make an offering at the temple.  To save a few rupees we decide to divert him by pretending to be interested in the silks.  He takes us to the factory.  We buy ...lots.  Money saving scheme flys out the window.  Bedsheets, tops, skirts, dresses, pillow covers ...you name it we bought it.  Oh well draw a line under that.  Other than spending all our money we took a very nice walk on the second morning all the way along the ghats from the most northerly back to our hotel.  Arrving back at the hotel by about 9:30 (setting off about 6)  we collapsed under the fan.  Here it is now getting too hot to be out in the middle of the day so our new plan of attack is to adopt a spanish stance.  Get up early ...siesta ...out and about again in the evening.  OK after Varanasi we got our train (2 hours late) to Calcutta.

Only just arrived in Calcutta so cant really comment yet but its not all just a festering slum so its not as bad as we imagined. Fly our in a couple of days ...mmmm airline...english speaking films...complementary drinks. 

 OK so signing off once again

Claire and Helen.

xxx