From Nainital to...erm...?

Okay, so, aside from the fact that I have forgotten where we went after Nainital (I think I'm entitled to blame that on the Christmas-alcohol combination), things seem to be going well. This is the first day that I have managed to get rickshaw drivers to take me where I want to go at a fair price without having to spend 10 minutes haggling with every one of them! Perhaps India is hardening me up after all. Or, perhaps the rickshaw drivers in Jaipur are more honest.

For Christmas Day we went to see the Taj Mahal in Agra, which was really amazing, although an extortionate kick in the teeth price-wise for backpackers (compare 15 rupees for an indian tourist to the 750 rupees a 'foreign' tourist has to pay...although of course it is generally only the whities that get treated as tourists). Additionally, had a wonderful evening in our hotel with some new found friends and an impromptu party (plus rather copious amounts of alcohol!). Sandra and Claud from Australia-turned-Thailand, Ray from America-turned-South Korea, Sanne from Holland and Andrea made up the infamous crew. Our raucous behaviour (which was the verbal equivalent of our fancy dress) caused a grumpy frenchman to stomp out and complain 'We arrre trrryeeeng to sleeeep' to which an extremely drunk Ray started laughing. Nothing personal I feel, but Frenchie took a rather aggressive stance to this response which seemed to have little effect; primarily because he was only wearing boxer shorts at the time.

It didn't dampen the mood although it did put an end to the festivities. Still, a Christmas I shall never, ever forget!