Agra

We are delivered to the rear-end of Agra in all senses of the expression for our accommodation – it's the first time we sleep fully clothed on the trip. Sitting outside on the first night we see a large number of the planets insect species in the air and on the ground, and when we return to our room we find some of them have managed to follow us in Dick Whittington style. We try and turn the light off as soon as possible as this is no doubt attracting some more in the room (and waking up the fleas and possibly the bed bugs). We also try and leave the air con and fan on all night to reduce the mozzie risk, but this involves several trips down to reception to repeatedly ask them to turn the power back on in the room which seems to be a battle of wills throughout our stay. Despite the majority of the group getting up in time for the short trip to the Taj Mahal, we don't make it for sunrise as a few people in the group straggle out of the hotel annoyed that they haven't had breakfast (why they think it'll be anything special from the accommodation is baffling). We do manage to see the site in some good light though and take several photos, but not THAT shot you're probably all thinking about. There's no doubt it's a stunning place – probably staggering to see the sun-rise though! We also visit the Agra fort on the way back to the hotel and watch some monkeys steal bananas from an unsuspecting guy to have a feast at his expense.
After lunch, just as we are coming back to the hotel – Helen manages to smash her toe into a stone on the ground and impressively splits it, maybe in sympathy with her Dad, whom we hear has tried his best to chop his finger off with a circular saw. It's several minutes after we are back at the hotel until blood oozes impressively out and David does his best to clean the wound and strap it up - particularly from praying bugs. In the evening we test the strapping on Helen's foot to the limits by walking back to the Taj and viewing the site from a nature walk in the evening sunset. Afterwards, we wander past a festival site and sit at the back of the crowd to watch the evenings entertainment only to be rudely interrupted to be advised that we are in the 'general public' area and for our safety we should go to the VIP area – although we say we are ok the staff insist we move and escort us to sit on comfy sofas at the front to see the evenings entertainment unfold.