Feels like I’ve been in India for three weeks now and on trains for the same amount of time. Belle’s once again been made aware of my rare talent to sleep anywhere again. She’s having flashbacks from being on the bus in Compton. Where she pocketed our passports as I soundly slept.

We’re positive as we are on our way to Agra, we quickly google the Taj Mahal once more, to confirm. A little too late seems to be our recurring theme, as it’s closed on Fridays. Next google.. things you do in Agra on Fridays. It’s a thing and so we’re clearly not the only ones.

Our new and ‘no hurry, no worry’ plan of seeing the Red Fort emerges, everything is always working out. And perhaps we are just meant to return to Delhi in the future to visit the…. Let’s just leave it remain unnamed for now. Perhaps a little raw still. Kidding here is an image on the exact day we were here that some lovely guys we met on the train home sent to us.

Back to the Red Fort adventure, arriving at 4pm now as the 2.5 hour train has now taken 4 hours. All monuments close at 4:30pm, so straight to Red Fort it is. We race in grab and tickets, refuse a guide and the games begin. Studying the architecture, clapping to hear the echoes, the marble, the doors, the amazing carved walls. Acutely aware of the fact we will need to google these actually facts and history on our way home. We race, and yes I’ll be honest. We race to take photos at every empty cute space we can find. When you don’t know anyone and you’re with your bestie, you can be honest of how to pose and not be weird. Because we all want to post a picture saying we’ve been there. So it looks and sounds a bit like this.. quick here. Jump. Suck in your tummy. Turn to the side. Point your toe. There is no sugarcoating between friends. And that’s what I love, even though I post the funniest and probably the most unflattering ones. As it’s actually just funnier. So I guess what I am saying is find great mates who are super honest.

Prior to the trip I’d gotten a message from my beautiful friend ‘you’re 38 right?’ I kid you not, next message from Belle ‘what’s your ring size?’ Again the universe giving me kind and hilarious reminders of life. Belle had pre-warned me about the celebrity status that may occur. So she had our wedding rings ready to go.

We are asked to be in photos with families, babies, groups, literally the more the merrier. Selfies with everyone over here, you feel adored - I think, I mean they loves you to be in their photos, not sure where they all end up.

The wedding rings are the greatest idea.

Decide we have enough time to grab some take away from a local restaurant, side note, say pack away or parcel, and then you can make this magic happen. We order a lot, as recommended and then we are again racing back to the bloody train station, can you believe it, we are still on the train train.

We attempt a quick snack and are surrounded by dogs who are more keen on our food than we are which would be impossible at this point. They are snarling and being slapped away by thongs and scarves from the men around us, thanks protectors. We pack it all up and are asked again for a pic from a group of guys, as they had protected us we agree and ask them if we are about to get on the right train. Kindly he checks out tickets and ensures us we are on the same track.

As we continue chatting, they too had attempted to see the Taj also. To their credit, they took a boat tour and actually got some amazing pictures, which you see featured above. Thanks guys.

Fun facts for you and I about Red Fort:

Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The real name is Qila-E-Mubarak, and due to its red sandstone nature is now Red Fort. It took eight years to build, takes up 254.46 acres and the architects’ names are Ustad Ahmed Latori and Ustad Hamid. Quite the career achievements.

Known for its massive walls, blows my mind about building and architecture today. The scale, the time, all of the regulations. Have we progressed or constricted creativity?

After 3 hours, the kind guys who helped us jumped off and we again checked our stop, a little too late. We should’ve got off.

It’s just laughable now so next one it is. We chat with a driver and organise a price to our friend’s place, the safe space at the moment.

His TukTuk pulls up, it’s an hour and freezing. We jump in for the adventure, get 4 minutes down the track and both agree this is not doable for an hour. We venture home in cab.

Our evening is fun at home with our friends, who in true Punjabi fashion I’m told love to feed. Did just that ordering desserts after being told everything over here has dairy in it, James orders ones with ghee. These are my favourite. So many food favourites here. So you must try these - Moong Dahl Halwa Desi Ghee which was not to sweet but yum. And a savoury snack Hara Bhara Kebab.

I’m talking through the Shiva shrine and rituals practiced daily. I’m already in love with the culture and this has cemented it.

As explained, God is the Generator, Operator and Destroyer. This is a Hindu concept with Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer being the three faces of God. The Creator (or my Creator) and the energy keeping you alive that is within inside every human being and has no beginning and no end that cannot be created or destroyed. While the certainty of death is for everybody it is not personalised.

Pushkar which is home to the most significant temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, is the only temple where Brahma is worshipped. And this is now on our list of travels to visit.

2:22am we head to bed..

31/12/22

New Years Eve arrives, again we are spoilt with a delicious home cooked breakfast, Chai and Coffee.

Feeling like the true princesses we think we are, we head to purchase some jewellery. Sonali takes us to her favourite spot, I feel like we’re in the movies. We’re seated given refreshments and out come the trays of beautiful gold rings. An investment, a heirloom, we both agree we deserve these new gold rings. Especially as you’re able to return it anytime for exchange of new ones or even your money back. You’re welcome Allie, Aunty has your back.

We say our goodbyes and make our way to another monument. Jumping in our taxi we head to Huyamans Tomb, it’s becoming a bit of a running theme for us to get running to the popular tourist destinations. It is absolutely stunning, back to our modelling stances. We begin to notice everyone else here has much better ideas for pics so we wander around, enjoying and trailing out their cute photos ideas.

This time, we head for the airport. I know, all modes of transport are welcomed right now, a break from the trains. Surely we got this.

Check-in with our overloaded baggage, apologising and thanking the staff for allowing such luggage on board. We are pulled up as they go through our entire backpacks, we now are praying at every step, we’re pretty damn keen to get out of Delhi…

Clearly not that keen, we eat and I order us the biggest cups of coffee I’ve ever seen. Well, we’re not drinking so this is our NY buzz. We head to our gate and are rushed onto the bus then the plane as we almost missed our plane. Meeting a guy on the bus who’d just had three shots after a breakup and his friends got him a NY ticket to Udiapur for the night. We’ve all been there, man. Let your hair down.

We sit down apologetically and celebrate to ourselves. We made it.

A DJ sitting next to me, a bit flustered explains he is on his third flight to get to Udiapur and is running behind for his gig.. I wish him well.

Arriving in Udiapur, and our first rooftop stop - we enjoy Chai and New Year’s call catch-ups to the best back in Aus.

We’re waiting for our room as they’re fixing the taps, we discovered later, there are no taps or hot water in our 5-star accommodation. The staff are lovely and we’re happy on the roof regardless.

As midnight strikes, were dressed in our trackies, yoga mats on the roof, fireworks were amazing, cards were pulled. Our vibe is quite different from everyone else’s but it’s all perfect and the feeling of contentment arises. These moments are special, where you can feel blessed, grateful, proud, happy, ok I’m trying to explain contentment but the word is just that, there’s not more, no greater.

Simply content.