Taj Mahal Agra, India

Today, we awoke at 4:30 AM to catch the train to Agra. I am so excited 

to visit one of the world wonders: THE Taj Mahal. I get to present 

this beautiful Muslim tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. I am so excited!!! It was 

a struggle just to get on the train. 

People were sleeping on the floor 

as we approached the platform. We were rushed through security without 

being scanned. A man took our print out of ticket information and said 

that they wouldnt let us on without actual tickets. Dr. Jones was 

taken to an office to try to figure out what yo do. The man who talked 

to her was not wearing any type of uniform or identification. We just 

found our car without the tickets. Our names were on a list on the 

outside of the car!!! Another man said that we needed actual tickets 

when we got on the train. He didnt have proper identification either. 

When a man who was in a uniform checked our tickets, everything was 

completely fine. They were trying to rip us off and get us to buy more 

tickets!

The countryside looks barren and so poor. There are little straw huts 

and small concrete structures in the corners of the square fields. 

This area reeks of poverty and dispair. It's terrifying to think of 

the conditions people are surviving in.

We are sitting in first class. If this is the best that the Indian 

Railways, the largest employer of India, has to offer, I fear for 

second and third class arrangements. The green seats are covered in 

black stains. The paint is chipping off the food trays and walls of 

the compartment. The windows have filth and dirt on them, BUT there is 

air conditioning. There is plenty of leg room. The seats aren't 

uncomfortable as they are cushioned. We were given a water bottle, 

tea, and a breakfast of mango juice, toast, vegetables, and samosa. 

This is a treat compared to the other conditions of the train, I 

imagine.

The Taj was like a dream. I couldn't even believe we were there. It 

was magnificent. "Oh, my God" is really the only way I can describe 

this monument. The people were also not as pushy or demanding of 

money. We put little shoe covers on and went in. It was so... Amazing. 

The Arabic on the building was of stone. I cannot imagine the 

difficulty of carving each piece and then having to place them all on 

the building. Incredible.