We managed to get a few hours of sleep on the plane before landing at around 8:45 am this morning in New Delhi. The process of disembarking, clearing immigration, and collecting our bags, took nearly an hour and a half. It was about 10:00 am by the time we met up with our driver and got underway for the three-and-a-half hour trip to Agra, where we’ll be spending the next two days.

We got to the magnificent Taj Oberoi Hotel just before 2:00 pm. We were adorned with lovely marigold malas (a floral garland) as we walked into the hotel. We checked in and went to our room, where were treated to an incredible view of the Taj Mahal.

Our room at the Taj Oberoi Hotel.
Our room at the Taj Oberoi Hotel.
The view out of our window to the Taj Mahal.
The view out of our window to the Taj Mahal.

We decided that we’d be best getting a couple of hours of sleep, since the lack of sleep on the plane coupled with the time zone change, meant that we were starting to feel a bit ordinary. We slept until about 5:00 pm, before getting up and going downstairs to meet Devesh, our guide for the next two days.

The plan for the evening was to go to the Taj Mahal to watch the sunset and then return to the hotel for dinner. We set off in a golf cart for the short trip (about 700 metres) down the Taj East Gate Road to the entrance of the Taj Mahal, cleared the security checkpoint and went inside.

Devesh told us about history of the Taj Mahal as we walked through the grounds to the east entrance arch, where we got our first real view of the mausoleum.

Looking through the east arch to the Taj Mahal.
Looking through the east arch to the Taj Mahal.
Keith and Andrea at the Taj Mahal.
Keith and Andrea at the Taj Mahal.
Keith and Andrea at the Taj Mahal.
Keith and Andrea at the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal.

We had a wonderful walk around a little of the grounds (which cover about 17 hectares), before stopping and waiting for the sunset. It was a very peaceful and surreal experience.

After the sunset, we exited the grounds and hopped back onto the golf cart for the ride back to the hotel. We went straight to the hotel’s international restaurant for dinner.

Freshly-baked breads.
Freshly-baked breads.
Charcoal goat's cheese.
Charcoal goat's cheese.
Tempura prawns.
Tempura prawns.
Salad of arugula, pear, parmesan, pine nuts, and figs.
Salad of arugula, pear, parmesan, pine nuts, and figs.
Donburi.
Donburi.
Cashew and pea curry (made for us by special request!) with rice and garlic naan.
Cashew and pea curry (made for us by special request!) with rice and garlic naan.
Just-cooked kebabs out of the tandoor.
Just-cooked kebabs out of the tandoor.
Baileys tiramisu.
Baileys tiramisu.
Ice-cream with nolen gur (date palm molasses).
Ice-cream with nolen gur (date palm molasses).
Orange and saffron sorbet.
Orange and saffron sorbet.

After a wonderful dinner, we were taken on a tour of the kitchens by Ishan, a very nice young chef who had just joined the hotel.

On the kitchen tour.
On the kitchen tour.

We then walked outside to enjoy a bit of the night air in the beautiful gardens of the Taj Oberoi.

Looking over one of the Taj Oberoi pools.
Looking over one of the Taj Oberoi pools.

Tired after a big day, we returned to our room at about 9:30 pm. While we had been at dinner, the hotel staff had strung up a “Happy Birthday” sign for us (so they had obviously been tipped off that we were on a trip to celebrate our 60th birthdays this year!). They had also taken the marigolds in our room and arranged them into a message for us, as well as decorating around our room with them.

Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
A message in marigolds.
A message in marigolds.

We were pretty tired after a big day, so it wasn’t long before we crashed into bed. We are going to be up very early tomorrow morning so we can be at the Taj Mahal to see the sunrise.