India – the Golden Triangle Tour – Weather is lovely, wish you were here

Eid Al Adha was perfectly timed this year to guarantee a three day holiday and provide us with an opportunity to explore a tiny portion of India.

We chose the classic tourist ‘Golden Triangle’ – Dehli, Agra and Jaipur – and opted for a 5* experience with Oberoi hotels, drivers and guides.

We were not disappointed.

With a planned arrival time of 3.10am into Delhi we had optimistically organised a sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal in Agra – an optimistic three hour drive from Delhi. It was never going to happen; we landed late and it took over four hours. We simply crashed in our hotel room for a four hour sleep and then had a refreshing swim. Suitably rejuvenated, we set out to see the sights of Agra culminating in a sunset tour of India’s iconic building.

The Oberoi Amarvilas has got to be the best hotel in Agra and certainly the best location. We had Taj Mahal views from our room and only a ten minute golf-cart ride to the monument.

First stop Agra Fort. A UNESCO World Heritage site and at 94 acres it is more of a walled city than a mere fort.

The white marble structure is part of a complex built by Shah Jahan. He ended his days in 1631 in the tower to the left where he was kept under house arrest by his son. At least the balcony gave him a good view of the famous monument that he had built for his wife.

Next stop, the Taj Mahal – we get to see what attracts 8 million visitors a year.

‘Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage”. Described by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore as “the tear-drop on the cheek of time”, it is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of India’s rich history. In 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World initiative.’

Not bad for an oversized tombstone.

Our visit was strategically timed so that we could witness the changing colours of the mausoleum as the white marble reflected the setting sun. A beautifully patterned sky meant that we were not dissapointed.