Contrary to popular belief, the trains in India are actually quite pleasant. They aren’t so crowded that people are relegated to sitting on the roof, and while they take a distinctly Indian approach to timekeeping you can get almost anywhere in the country through its sprawling railway network. I did spend one memorable journey crammed between passengers atop a luggage rack in general class, but that’s a story for another time. Our first train journey in India was a quick three hours from Delhi to Agra. We travelled second class, which gets you amenities like AC, plug sockets, and seats that fold down into beds. Most second class journeys will cost you around £20, which is a bargain when compared to UK rail fares.

Despite its rural appearances, Agra is still a bustling place. Our first tuk tuk ride from the station saw us weaving in and out of honking traffic, our driver slamming on the breaks as he almost rear-ended a strolling cow. When we arrived at the [Panda Friends Hostel], we were warmly greeted by the manager who shepherded us to a Bob Marley themed terrace restaurant with artwork and messages like ‘no woman no chai’ scrawled on the walls. From the deckchairs on the roof we could see the dome of the Taj Mahal peering out over trees and buildings.

Our roommates were Keran, an Indian man on a motorcycle trip across the country, and Kenny the Kenyan (who insisted this was his real name).

>Taj Mahal

We got up at 4am to visit the Taj Mahal at sunrise with Kate. Unfortunately for us, the sun had already risen by the time we got through the Taj’s stringent security measures (no books, pens, lighters, laptops, food, drinks, ____), but it was still worth it to see such a breathtaking building with little crowds. You enter through a large gateway of red stone and emerge at the front of the pool. There are many ways to describe the beauty of the Taj Mahal, but none as iconic as Clara’s “that is BANGING”. Its huge marble facade is carved with [Hindu script] and [floral paintwork]. Inside it is a darkened tomb with little of the ornate decorations seen at temples and ____, with the [crypts] of _____ and his wife side by side in the centre. We spent the morning admiring the view from the steps in its garden grounds. A large ____ monkey joined us, resulting in one of the most Indian photos I took on the trip.

That afternoon we went to a restaurant across the street run by a

>Agra fort

Agra Fort is a place steeped in history. The massive red stone fort sits across the river from the Taj Mahal _______.