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india - a video recap.

Overwhelming traffic and mass of humanity. What is that smell? Sulfur? Fire? Mothballs? Urine? Incense? Women riding sidesaddle in a sari on motorcycles. Random speed bumps. No street signs. STOP HONKING.

Pay the man 20 rupees to mind your shoes while you visit temples. Wet taxi seats. The Red Fort is closed on a Monday - oh. ATM crisis - find one that takes a Canadian card. Kingfisher 1 litre beers on the patio. Rickshaw rides all over town. Dogs - not fixed. Cows  - everywhere. Your heart tears a bit with the sight of the homeless begging with smiling babies on hips. ‘No, i don’t want a taxi’. ‘No, i don’t want to go shopping’. Delhi dirt. Delhi dizzy. Delhi busy.

Early rise. Stand out from everyone else on the train platform. Have 2 minutes to get on the train when it stops in the station and leaves. A/C carrier. Tea kits with thermos’ of hot water. Squish 3 people and luggage into one rickshaw. Get harassed to buy Taj Mahal snowglobe keychains. 500 rupees for tourists. 40 rupees for Indian nationals. See the Taj Mahal greatness and stare and wander in awe for at least 2 hours. See the Agra Fort. See the baby Taj. See monkeys. More rickshaw rides. See the Taj from the backside across the river. Stuff myself with curries.

Morning bus to Jaipur. Why doesn’t anyone clean or dust anything? Sweat. Walk to the old Pink City. Shops galore. Textiles, food, bangles, watches, pottery. Diwali decorations. Drink Kingfisher’s on the roof of the Jaipur Inn. Can’t stop napping. Have said ‘Canada’ in response to ‘what country?’ at least 70 times now.