All in a day's work really!

Fatephur Sikri was built by the Mogul Emperor Akbar in 1951.  It's an abandoned capital city which only survived as a working city for 14 years; abandoned due to lack of water.  Today, the red sandstone, walled city is partially intact.  The magnificent Tariv Masjid (mosque), one of a trilogy of Muslim landmarks in India; including Tama Masjid royal complex and old administration offices in Delhi, and the other in Ahmedabad.  Either way, when in Agra Fatephur Sikri is a must do along with The Taj and Agra Fort.

That said Agra doesn't hold out too many friendly handshakes to the visiting westerner.  Perhaps why most seem to prefer the AC Volvo bus with their countrymen and women, as opposed to doing it street tough ... which is what it takes to not get ripped off for this experience.

I enquire in advance of the taxi rates.  Part of the ongoing triangulation exercise.  R/- 2000 is the offer from the Love Kush reception staff.  I ask if the smiling chaps know how far/long from Manali to Rhotang Pass.

"Two hours.  Winding road.  Very far."

I explain our whole day, 200km trip to Rhotang Pass and beyond for Rs/- 1800, and wonder why the difference.  A fast flick of the calculator, repunch some numbers, a quick Hindi exchange, flash of teeth smiling, "OK. OK. Rs/- 1800.  Long way.  38km. Interstate road tolls Rs/- 150 each way.  Parking Rs/- 100.  You like?"

"I'll let you know.  Need to check with madam," is my increasingly lame excuse.  "Maybe tomorrow.  Next day."

It's all good.

Free WiFi means a quick Google search of Lonely Planet recommendations.  Jeez these Indians must hate this easy access to local information.  Taxi Rs/ 600-700.  Auto from hotel to Idgah bus stand at Rs/ 60 and local bus Rs/ 17 direct.  That should do.

At 9.30am we're off.  Never expect to get local rates, but Rs/ 80 for the auto was pretty close.  Travelling along Mall Road at a healthy pace, DG with the remnants of GoogleMaps up, remarks, "This isn't the way I would have gone!"

Which do you trust?  Western technology, indigenous technology, or your own intuition?  Safely we arrive at Idgah, check the travel time to prep for our exit to Jaipur the next day.  Sort the bus.

"Leaves in 13 minutes,” says the enquiry counter man.  "Ticket on the bus."

Enough time to 'reccie' the Deluxe bus for tomorrow, before settling in to our seats.  Okay, 25 minutes later, we're off, rattling along the road to Fatephur Sikri.  We hit the toll booth at the Rajasthan border.  Vehicle Rs/ 41, Rs/ 64 return.  Mmm.  Think the hotel staff were definitely having a lend of us.

Arriving Fatephur Sikri bus stand, the touts descend, thicker than the flies.

"You want guide? Rs/100.  Rs/ 50.  Rs/ 20.  Okay.  I'm not guide.  Student learning English." "... German." "... French." " ... Swahili."

We pass, climb the road, and enter the mosque, shoes off beforehand, of course.  DG is flagging.  Clearly there are no 'No Tension' signs anywhere to be seen, so she's fair game.

"I think I'll just sit here in the square and ..."

I head off, quickly joined by a 'religious employee doing stonework' who flashes his card.  'Not guide.  Learning English.  Here to make your experience enjoyable.  My name Abdul.  What's yours?'

English it is.  He shoos away the marauding competitors, circling like vultures offering postcards, wooden chess sets, malas and stonework.  We walk the large square discussing Islam, the west, cultural differences.  I teach him the word for the day:  Persistence, to describe the ever-pressing touts. 

??? Nahi" I report ??? He offers a lesson in Hindi.

"Nahi chahiye!” Meaning, 'No. I don't want.'

Seems to work, but need to polish up the fluid pronunciation.

Finally we make it to the home of his stonework.

"My uncle has small stand.  Small price marble carvings.  Elephants."

Here we go again.  I love to engage but it gets tiring.  How to say no, so we all save face.  Can't use madam as an excuse, so I praise the work and then explain that each region in India offers its own unique arts and crafts.  We try to buy something from everywhere, but eventually when the well is full, the well is full.  Keep practicing aikido, or perhaps it's Vinyasa flow.  This with 'Nahi chahiye' ends the non-transaction.

My 'English learning, not guide' is gone in a flash and I'm back to rescue DG, who seems to have befriended lice, fleas and other biting insects.  We head for the Royal Complex, manage to score a free toilet visit by offering my only change of Rs/ 500.  It's been a real 'tight arse' Tuesday, as we also by-passed the Rs/ 300 entrance ticket.  Free today, first day of National Heritage Week.  Too bad we did The Taj yesterday.  We would have been well in front.

Back at the bus stand, the 'Vote for Modi' rent-a-crowd arrives.  Horns blaring.  Flags waving.  Stickers stuck on any surface available.  Managed to score one and despite some hesitation, got caught up in the 'Modi!  Modi!' chant.  Discretion needing to be the better part of valour, to ensure I could safely board the return bus.

Oh - a memorable trip back to Agra ensures ‘trust the process’ is often necessary in India.  For some reason we take a short cut through the back blocks and rice paddies to find a different way to MG Road and Idgah Bus Stand.

All in a day's work really!