We left Kochi on the 4th. We were packed and ready to go. I took one last glance at the rail ticket before we set of to the station.

T. ‘So we leave at 0930?’

P. ‘Yes.’

T. ‘We arrive at 0030.’

P. ‘Yes’

T. ‘Have you seen the date on the arrival? It’s not the 5th it’s the 6th!’

P. ‘What ?’

T. ‘This is not a 15 hour train ride, it’s a 39 hour train ride!’

P. ‘Oh, at least we’ll cut down on accommodation costs.’

And so we set forth on our 39 hour train ride. We arrive in Bhopal (just don’t go there) at 0100, wandered the streets (not very nice or safe) and found a hotel. Slept, got up at 0800, breakfast and caught a 10:10 train for an 8 hour ride to Agra.

And here we are. It’s the most touristy place we have been and almost the most destitute. A bad mix. ‘Sir’,'Hello please’,'Rickshaw’, etc. etc. However we are hardened to it now.

This morning we got up at 0530, walked the 500m to the East gate, down a side track and found ourselves at a makeshift jetty where the hotel manager said there was a ferry across the river to see the Taj from the opposite bank. No ferry.

I asked. ‘Yes sir, ferry is here – look.’ The ferryman, wrapped in a headscarf against the morning cold pointed at an old boat down by the litter ridden shore.

And so we crossed the river like Greeks crossing the river Styx to the underworld, through the mist.

The photos are stunning, but we are still on wind-up internet connection so you will have to wait.