When we arrived in Orchha for lunch, we discovered that our train to Agra was currently 3 hours late and likely to be later or maybe cancelled.
Early the next morning, we were scheduled for a sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal. So getting to Agra that night was pretty mandatory. The tour company had to arrange 3 cars to drive us to Agra — another 6 hour drive after the 4 we had just survived. Oh man.
The main road is about 3 cars wide at best with no lanes or dividers. Everyone passes from each direction as often as possible, stabbing repeatedly on the horn. Somehow, death is avoided, just barely, every 50 feet, or so. Death from what? Colorfully decorated trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, people crossing, pot-holes, dogs, goats,water buffaloes, cows, pigs, tractors. This mad mix churns along and across the 30 foot wide road with drivers (and most animals) having no respect for lanes and there is constant crossing into the opposing traffic lanes from both directions. All the while, the cacophony of horns doesn’t stop. Even when the cars are stopped for a light — if they bother to stop.After dark, it gets more intense. Then we ran into fog. I decided the sanest thing to do was go to sleep. Six hours of chicken was well beyond my overload threshold. Good thing. I heard from the riders who didn’t sleep that one of the many times we slowed to a crawl was because of an overturned truck that had jumped the guard rail in the fog.I have never been in a country with so little road infrastructure. I realize most people take the train, but you should see how crowded they are. Well we missed taking the train, and got to Agra about the same time as if we had, much the worse for wear. And, we did finally get to see the Taj Majal when the fog cleared about 1 pm the next day.I have gained a new appreciation for the importance of infrastructure or the lack there-of. Still enjoying my trip though.
