Taj-a-licious

Goodness! A whole Cambridge Union has sprung up in my comments box. How lovely.

In other news, the four of us wandered over to Agra on Sunday to see the Taj Mahal. After a very fun conversation with a poor, poor man from the Archaeological Survey of India (Nicki: "Could you please explain why I have to pay 750Rs and Indian Nationals only have to pay 20Rs please? Because your excuse that tourists are eroding the Taj and so we have to pay more doesn't stand up to the fact that there are 150 Indians here for every tourist. I feel this is verging on full discrimination, and I would like to know why my student card, which lets me in free to other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, doesn't get me in here." ASI guy: "erm.") I eventually paid my abysmally high entrance fee, got highly peed off with the huge queues and jobsworths everywhere, and then was completely cheered, relaxed and made giggly by the stupid lump that is the Taj Mahal.

I love sights that feel like someone's just rolled down the ol' backdrop, and there's a load of scaffolding behind it and a guy in dungarees patching up the canvas with duct-tape. The Taj was one of them; amazing building (although I would like to point out that it it not wide enough at the base, and I demand at least 100Rs of my fee back for that) and not as cheesy as I thought it would be. The symmetry got to me (I think I'm a bit like Constable, I like my things to come in threes or fives at most) but the satisfaction on finally getting inside and finding that - joy of joys! - Shah Jahan's tomb was beautifully whacked next to his wife's, completely ruining the whole effect, meant I could cope with seeing reflections of things everywhere.

I also enjoyed the fact that, to get that serene shot of you standing alone and proud in front of the Taj Mahal, you have to forcibly beat off the other 200 people who also want that shot. Eventually, everyone just stood like line-dancers in front of the vista, forming a sort of human wall, which was actually funnier than just posing alone.

The people watching was excellent too. Full marks to the woman in the purple Chanel velour (in 35 degrees!) matching tracksuit, with five-inch platform heels and huge bug-sunglasses. How we laughed when she refused to take off her heels and thus had to put on the stupid pixie-dust-shoes over the top. ha ha ha.

So yes, a fun day had by all; we also managed to get an auto around over the Yamuna to see the view over the back of the Taj from the other bank, which was impressive and somewhat special-er.

What was also special this weekend was our delightful visit to the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets. The guided tour around the museum of different types of ancient and modern latrines, and the outdoor exhibits of modern rotating-bucket, composting toilets in various shapes and sizes for different areas and prices was truly interesting, I kid you not. Even Kit was impressed, and learnt why we have U-bends. A special afternoon was had by all.

So yes, I had a great week with Kit (thank you for coming, dear, it was much fun). The sudden realisation at 4am this morning (when the electricity cuts out, my fan clunks off, and the sudden rise in temperature makes me wake up) that I only have under four more weeks of work, and only five and a half weeks of India left, has put me slightly in a panic. My swift social turnover (Kit left 11pm last night, Dad and Sister flew in 11pm last night) has also made the weeks fly by. Not to mention that work is so quick-paced that the weeks just disappear. We're now frantically planning out our weekends, when we're actually going to buy all the things we keep saying we'll buy before we leave, and whether we're going to splash out on a weekend in Goa to satiate our desire for blue sea and white sand.

Anyway, since I proposed the story that's running as the front page this fortnight, I am a busy woman and must get back to work. Love you all.