it, we turned out to be quite pleasantly surprised. It was a huge place, with all kinds of courtyards and gardens, and some great views of the city and over the river to the Taj. It was quite surprising that the land around the Taj had not been developed at all, there were huge areas of green giving it a far more imposing look than it otherwise would have had. It does have to be said that it really did look magnificent, even from this distance.

By this stage Hel and I had really started flagging, I think the lack of sleep was catching up with us rapidly, along with the intense heat, so we were quite glad when it was suggested that we go to a restaurant for some lunch. We were a little dubious about going to a restaurant recommended by the rickshaw driver, as they are bound to get a backhander for taking us there, and although the menu was quite expensive, the manager offered us a veggie Thali

for a good price. The food was pretty good, and the restaurant was air conditioned, so it was a welcome break for an hour or so!!

So after recharging our batteries, we were ready to brave the crowds at the Taj. As expected, as soon as we got out of the rickshaws we were assaulted by the various craft shop sellers and guides, but we managed to fight them off, and were pleasantly surprised once inside the grounds that it really wasn’t too busy. There were quite a few people there, but nothing compared to the Forbidden City in Beijing. The main gate which you go through to reach the Taj was impressive in itself, and then turning to walk through it, the Taj itself came into view, and looked truly amazing!! The sheer size of everything here really does take your breath away! We scurried around taking all the classic photos, and just sat down in the gardens just taking it all in! The rickshaw