From one of the worlds 7 wonders to living with a stranger

At 04.45 am our alarms went off. Right outside our window a traditional Indian weeding had been held and the music had kept us up for most of the night. With sleepy eyes we got out of bed and went down to the lobby to meet the rest of the class. At 05.30 we gathered in the bus and drove a short ride to a parking lot near Taj Mahal. When we arrived, there was still no sign of the morning sun. As we walked towards Taj Mahal it got lighter and lighter and souvenir-shops around us started to open. After we got through security and bought our tickets, we walked excited towards the gate that would lead us to Taj Mahal. As we walked in, we were quickly surrounded by other tourists from all around the world, all gathered to see the magnificent building. Already at first glance we understood why this monument is one of the worlds 7 wonders.

The building is made out of white marble and covered in small details and scriptures. It was enchanting. Our tour guide told us the amazing love story about Shah Jaham, the Mughal emperor, who build the Taj Mahal in honour of his wife, Taj Mahal, who died giving birth to their fourteenth child. He also informed us that even though Taj Mahal is translated into crown palace in English, the building is actually not a palace, but a memorial. In front of the monument there is a long pool in the middle that goes all the way down to the front of Taj Mahal. On each side there is a pathway with trees along the side of it. As we went inside, we saw the coffins that contains the remains of the lovers. We were strictly told that we were not allowed to take pictures inside due to respect.

We got back to the hotel around 08:00 to eat breakfast and pack up our bags. Now we are on the bus on our way to Jaipur. The traffic is as chaotic and uncontrolled as it has been for the trip so far. Around 05:00 pm we will arrive at St. Xaviers and be picked up by our individual hosts. We are very excited, but also kind of scared of what the next three days might bring. We have a 7 hour long bus ride a head of us to build up our courage and excitement.

Laura, Anna and Hannah