Delhi to Agra and the Taj Mahal

Sunday January 27, 0800, start ceremony and blessings, line everybody up between the two support vehicles and we begin a 10-km convoy to the main highway that connects Delhi to Agra.

Sorry folks, big internet problems... can't get Apple to let me get Ursula's photos off her iPhone or iPad... I'm not a big fan of Apple right now. And a thousand other things going on around here, and this is the first time we've connected well to internet since leaving Delhi. So none of Ursula's photos are here. Hope my frustration isn't showing.

Hindu priest blessing the group

and the bus

Ursula and Maggie are blessed

lined up for the convoy

but wait until the cow leads the tuk tuk through

On the way and on our own on Highway 2. The elevated section in the background is part of Delhi's expansive Metro system, all built since 2000 by Bombardier

'Maple Garden' - made us feel like there's a bit of Canada here

Ursula makes her way through the tuktuks

The traffic... we're on a divided six-lane highway. There is a marked bike lane on the left ide (drive on the left here). How it really works is that bicycles and scooters go the wrong way on that lane. That means that us cyclists going the right way have to be in the left lane, but that's okay, we share it with the scooters and tuktuks and regular cars and busses and trucks don't use the left lane... well except when they want to pass somebody going slow in the fast lane. That's all great until tuktuks and cars and even trucks and busses are going the wrong way. Add to that that the road frequently goes down to one lane at very busy parts of village where they are still constructing elevated or widened section. We frequently find ourselves in every lane of the road. Chaos and danger? The good news is that the highway isn't terribly busy and even better, the drivers are really great at watching where they're going. Even in the hopelessly congested parts of town, we've done okay.

As we ride down the road, scooters and muktuks frequently slow down and engage in conversation, all very friendly, and often they'll position themselves to take selfies with us.   

A couple of black necked storks dance with each other in a bit of wetland beside the road on the first day

black necked stork and an egret

Monday we were back on the highway. This scene from one of the elevated section is a typical town with lots of open fires hence smoke all day long, worse in the morning mist.

birthplace of Lord Krishna

Krishna temple

Cow patties are used as a heating fuel and also to keep mosquitos and bugs away from homes.

...and here is how they are made.

Unfortunately garbage is a big problem here. One doesn't really want to dwell on it, but every pond and ditch is full of plastic and garbage and rubble i essentially continuous along the side of the road.

 Amongst things found on the highway... camels...

 It always brighten my day when there is a bit of wetland beside the road...

black winged stilts

Today, Tuesday, was for the Taj Mahal. Most of the buildings are red sandstone with the mausoleum in white marble.

 ...and after that the Agra Fort which also housed a royal palace and administrative offices back in Moghul days.

Sorry if this post is a bit disjointed, but if I don't post now, I'll be out of battery. Back on the bikes tomorrow morning and who knows what kind of internet connectivity.

in Delhi, ready for the bike

Departure from Vancouver was just after midnight last Sunday (so very early morning Monday 21 January) - an Air Canada 14-hour non-stop flight. The route was over the pole, passing near Yellowknife in the NWT and Murmansk, Russia. The approach to India took us over Afghanistan and Pakistan, landing about 5 a.m. on Tuesday (having crossed the dateline).

Getting through immigration was quick and pleasant, but then over an hour and a half to get the baggage. We'd made arrangements for transport and assistance and they were patiently waiting. Getting local sim cards in India is quite a formality but the people at the airport cater well to it and we had sim cards pretty quickly.

So about half-past seven we were on the way to the hotel. Rain sometimes heavy which they said was good to suppress the smog of recent days.

Got into the hotel a bit before 0900 and by the time we finished a leisurely breakfast, we were in our rooms - a lot earlier than we had expected.

our bike making it safely to the hotel

Checking in with Dave and Wendy with whom we are travelling for the entire trip

We quickly ran into Eve and Greg whom we know from previous cycling trips and whom we visited in Arizona last fall. But the rest of the day was time to unwind and rest a bit before getting together for happy hour, dinner, and an early night to bed.

Wednesday was a tour of old and new Delhi that Ursula had organized with a company called 'Delhi by Locals'. We can highly recommend them for anybody wanting to tour Delhi. Our guide, Gaurav, was great, a well spoken, knowledgeable young man.

First we had to brave the traffic which wasn't at all as bad as we'd feared. Congested for sure. Nobody pays attention to lane markings. Motorscooters using every possible piece of roadway, bike lane, etc. Horn honking everywhere and in fact encouraged by signage on the back of most of the trucks. One lone car seemed to disagree.

...and one hitchhiker monkey on one of the many tuktuks.

The central part of New Delhi had a lot of wide boulevards and most streets were lined with trees. One of India's big holidays is Republic Day today, January 26. Already much of the central area was shut down in preparation for a big parade.

First stop, the Sri Bangla Sahib Gurdwara (Sikh Temple).

The Gurdwara had an enormous kitchen to prepare food for travellers and the needy, part of the Sikh belief.  They even put Ursula and Eve to work. They feed about 30,000 people a day.

Then off by tuktuk to Old Delhi with it'.

spice market

typical street scene - note the electrical system

wholesale spice market

Jama Masjid Mosque

Nearby is the Red Fort. We'd hoped to visit it for the evening light show but it was closed in the leadup to Republic Day

After lunch was a visit to the Gandhi Smriti (memorial) and museum, located where he was assassinated less than a year after leading India to independence - well worth the visit - nice grounds, a level of tranquility after the bustle of Old Delhi, and well-presented historical material.

 A stop in Lodhi Gardens completed the day.

Bada Gumbad Mosque in Lodhi Gardens

Thursday, Rae took in the Indian Air Force Museum while Ursula enjoyed a massage and a walk near the hotel. 

HF-24 'Marut' - Indian designed and built fighter which served in the Indian Air Force from the late 1960s into the 1980s

Friday Ursula went to the Bahai Lotus Temple while Rae walked a couple of kilometres to a nearby wildlife sanctuary. Middle of the day is not the time to see many birds or animals, but there were some butterflies as well and monkeys along the side of the road and Black Kites at the nearby dump.

Saturday - Morning briefings from the tour staff, then finish up the bike preparation down in the hotel dungeons. We'll be on the road at 0800 for a convoy out of town and an 80-km ride to the first night' hotel.

Next post probably in three of four days.