India, Day 4 - Agra
After another delicious breakfast we bid adieu to New Delhi and make way to Agra. Traffic is bad and very slow. I'm not sure what speed we can go but it feels like we're cruising at around 30 mph. While our bus is refreshingly cool from the A.C. it could use some work. Seats don't quite work the way you want, some of the fans are broken, windows pop open over hard bumps. It's also bumpy. Very, very bumpy. Hard to read or sleep because you're really being tossed around.
Having said that --I was still pretty pleased with the bus. It was the one indulgence that I appreciated. Looking around us and the normal street buses it looked very crowded and hot. I know we were on the super big tour bus and that was inappropriately large for the streets and probably in most people's way but I was glad to have journey'd in relative comfort.
Of course, if people used lanes we wouldn't be in any one's way but India is pretty much a free for all when you're on the country roads. It takes most of the day to get to Agra.
Prior to departing Delhi we stop at India Gate --sort of an Arc de Triomphe...except less impressive. Today is hot. Really hot. Since I thought we'd be traveling all day I had selected a pair of jeans to wear which is completely wrong clothes for walking around in killer heat. I didn't stay outside long. Back to the bus.
As we're rolling into Agra I'm surprised that the city isn't more....developed? ...clean? Something. This is land of the Taj Mahal and I figured it would be a huge tourist town with all the razzle that money brings. Not so much.
As we're approaching the hotel our guide asks us what we are doing for dinner (shouldn't we be asking you this)? We of course, like sheep ask him what our options are. "Well, you can eat at the hotel or I can make reservations for the group at a restaurant." I'm pretty sure I sounded like a bitch when I asked my follow-up question (I was after all feeling frustrated and bitchy) - "...is that our only option? There's only one restaurant in Agra"?
And, this is much funnier now thinking back on it he replies "Yes." Ha...OK.
I think in the moment I thought he was joking except he said it with a straight face then turned to talk to another passenger. Again, confused by his behavior and frustrated by how limiting the experience was. I knew I could go exploring on my own to find a place to eat, yet --we are deep in foreign country here and our hotel is in the middle of nowhere. I don't mind getting into a cab or tuk-tuk but I want to be safe. Normally, I just go with it but there's no street lights, no anything, and it's just....
I just want our guide to...guide us. So, with a big sigh I raise my hand to indicate that "yes, I would like to be included in the reservation."
Somewhat funny, after he tells me there is only one restaurant in Agra our tour bus does in fact pass a restaurant called "Only Restaurant." The crew in the back of the bus with me joked that must be the place (it wasn't).
So a short nap later we head out to dinner with about half the tour group. We walk maybe a block.
4th odd thing he brings our bus boy with us to....I don't know, monitor us? I take that it is for our safety but again I can't get a real feel for the situation. Is it truly that unsafe that we, a group of 10 or so can't walk a block to eat out? It didn't feel like an act of safety it just felt weird. Maybe because our crowd is older they like that kind of thing but it just felt strange to me. And if he is forced to wait around for us at least have him join us for dinner.
As our guide drops us off at dinner we ask him why doesn't he stay and have a beer. It's clear to me this sounds completely [not fun] to him. But, again, confusion sets in.....does he really not want to hang out with us or is he just concerned with his own evening plans.
We learn over a drink that the tour group does not put him up in our hotel and he has to make his own arrangements. First, if true, that's fairly shitty of the tour group. C'mon, if the guide (and I assumed the bus boy and the bus driver) have to travel around with us then they should be supplied housing. Of course, I don't know he's given a per diem or he's reimbursed or what. All we know is he mentioned that he still had to find a place to stay that evening.
He asks us if we are having a good time (asks our end of the dining table) --the others are too kind. There's lots of enthusiastic replies. Normally, that would be my style as well but I'm feeling caustic and disappointed with the experience. I'm not having a good time and I think he sucks. I simply say that I wish we could get out and explore more by foot and I'm not used to seeing a city by tour bus. Jeff agrees. I think I have been honest without specifically calling the guide out (you suck).
Dinner is OK. The fun part was when I asked for spicy and when they checked in and I told them it could be spicier the server got all excited, took my bowl and said he would fix it. I had a doubtful moment when I thought they were going to bring back a terribly spicy dish but...I couldn't tell a difference. It was spicy but I like my mouth to burn.
Everything was overpriced (of course). I hope our guide is getting a kickback for taking us to all of these crappy, expensive places. This restaurant he took us to was completely empty. Even later as more people showed up it was all foreigners. Not a good sign in general.
We call it a night as we have an early morning tomorrow. Finally...Taj Mahal.
