The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
January 28 - The (Rail)Road to Agra
Travel for us is more about being than seeing. We prefer to come away with a sense of what life is like than to look at buildings all day. Normally this is not an issue but it can be a little conflicting when we go to a part of the world where we have never been before and where we are unlikely to return. How much time do we really want to devote to looking at historic relics? If we don't visit a particular sight, will we kick ourselves about it later?
I suppose there are arguments to be made both ways but generally we will opt to see less rather than pushing to do more. Travel is supposed to be rejuvenating after all. This is all just to rationalize that there were several major monuments in Delhi that we opted to put on our "on-the-next-trip-for-sure" list. You can see as much as we did of them via the first link below.
But the clock is ticking and we must be off ... this time to Agra and the obligatory visit to the Taj Mahal. Like Versailles or Notre Dame in Paris ... the Colosseum or the Forum in Rome ... the pyramids in Egypt ... there is no defensible excuse to be close and not make the trek, touristy or not. It was also our first adventure with the Indian Railway System.
For all the British did to muck up this country, they did leave it with a comprehensive rail system. The routes are extensive and the prices are low, so you can imagine that it is the choice of the masses when they have to get from A to B and are not in a particular hurry. Our "superfast express" left Delhi on time ... and pulled into Agra over 90 minutes late ... on a run that was only supposed to last three hours! Don't shy away from the train if you are travelling in India, but bring a good book (or two) and don't make any tight connections!
© 2009 Restaurant Doctor
[