Join Pete and Judy on their FIRST World Cruise on the Amsterdam

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Still loving your blog and posts here on CC.

 

 

 

I wonder if you brought items that you haven't used at all with you on the cruise and if there are items that you wish you had brought with you.

 

 

A few things, but nothing significant. I will think about it some more and post something more detailed

 

 

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[cruisekmc]

I've spent the whole day reading this! I'm finally caught up. I love it and I'm looking forward to following the rest of this incredible trip.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are at the Columbo airport waiting for our flight to Dehli. Lots of people with bad experiences here with taxis and Tuk Tuks ...not a place I would want to visit again. Details on full report later.

[teamflames]

Do you mean Sri Lanka or just Colombo (if just the latter I agree 100%). I warned the cities weren't much

[emoji6]

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Colombo not Sri Lanka. Tangalee was fine. Great reports from people on Safari type tours

 

 

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[teamflames]

Ok good to confirm its still just the cities

 

 

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[cccole]

Do you mean Sri Lanka or just Colombo (if just the latter I agree 100%). I warned the cities weren't much

[emoji6]

 

 

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It's too bad that so many had unfortunate experiences in Colombo. Looking forward to Pete's report.

 

You might check Jeff's blog at amazingvoyages2.blogspot.com to get another view of Colombo. Cherie

[The-Inside-Cabin]

It's too bad that so many had unfortunate experiences in Colombo. Looking forward to Pete's report.

 

You might check Jeff's blog at amazingvoyages2.blogspot.com to get another view of Colombo. Cherie

 

His pictures are amazing! He planned better and had a different experience.... lesson learned!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 76, Colombo, Sri Lanka

 

We slowly sailed into Colombo Harbor around dawn this morning. Colombo is a major city with a large commercial port. We will be spending the night here. Why this is an overnight port was not clear to me, since the city doesn’t offer the night life you normally associate with high quality overnight ports like Singapore, Hong Kong and Sydney. Since this is a popular jumping off point for the overland to the Taj Mahal, maybe they wanted to give those folks (including us) a chance to see Colombo on day 1 before departing for overland adventures on day 2. We moored one pier over from the Sri Lanka Navy Ship “Sayura” which is the flagship and an offshore patrol vessel for the Sri Lanka Navy.

 

 

• NOTE: As you leave the immediate area by the ship, you pass by a sentry and are now on a major street with cars, trucks, buses and taxis whizzing by. Based on this you might think (as we did) that you are clear of the port security zone and in the city, but we learned that you have to pass an additional security point to get completely out of the port area. All vehicles required a special permit to access this area, some Tuk Tuks & Taxis had the pass and others didn’t. We didn’t realize this important distinction until we were on our way back later and discovered our taxi couldn’t go beyond the outer gate, about ½ mile from the ship.

 

• We heard reports of 5 or 6 passengers who had Tuk Tuk drivers demand a higher fare after the ride was complete despite agreeing on the fare before the ride started. Sometimes you can simply give them the original fare and walk off, but other times, you may feel so intimidated you simply give them the extra $ (up to double the agreed upon price) or whatever to avoid any further confrontation. We also heard, second hand, that several crew members had items pick pocketed by Tuk Tuk drivers and other bad experiences. If Colombo wants to have tourists come back they need to clean this up.

 

We spent most of the day getting ready for our overland to India tomorrow and didn’t venture out in town until around 4pm. Our plan was to walk to and explore the nearby Fort Area for a couple of hours and then head back to the ship early to get a decent night’s sleep. The Fort area is the city’s financial center and home to the 500 foot tall twin towers of the World Trade Center.

 

Before we left the ship, I had fun watching the activity on the SLNS Sayura from our cabin. Today the ship was filled with school children who were being given tours and allowed to play on the helicopter landing deck.

 

We decided to walk the approximate 1 mile to the Fort Area, but in hindsight it would have been better to take a taxi as we would have saved our time and energy for exploring rather than simply walking through a rather boring port area.

 

Once off the ship, there is a small string of temporary shops, right next to the ship, selling gems, clothes and other souvenir type items. However, the ship published the following warning about these shops which discouraged us from spending anytime browsing: “Prior guest experiences with such shopping have led to disappointment in the quality and authenticity of the merchandise”. When the ship advises you to not shop with the vendors right on the pier – that tells you something.

 

We continued thru the security checkpoint and headed down the main street toward York Street which would lead us to the Fort area. Off to our right side, maybe ¼ mile away sits the Sambodhi Chaitya which is a Buddhist Shrine built with reinforced concrete in 1956, it looks like a rocket ship ready for launch. If we had more time, we may have climbed up to the lower level, but we didn’t have the time or the energy today.

 

It wasn’t apparent from the map, but York Street sits above the road we were currently on, we ended up climbing up a couple flights of outside stairs to reach another security checkpoint that lead us out of the port area to York Street. At this point we were immediately accosted by a series of TuK Tuk drivers and other people wanting to sell ua this or that, or take us to a special show. They were quite persistent and wouldn’t take no for an answer initially and would follow us for 20 yards repeating the same request, all the while we were continuing to say “No Thanks” again and again. Our first stop was the nearby Hilton which was a welcome island of familiarity. We picked up a few souvenirs and then walked off to another shopping area called the “Dutch Hospital” which had some nice restaurants and shops. But as you transit from area to area, you have to wade thru the sea of people trying to sell you anything and everything. If you stand still for a minute to study a map, you will constantly be approached and offered guide services or to be driven to a special shop or special show. After a couple of hours of this, we decided to pack it in and head back to the ship. I forgot to mention that all of this activity is taking place with the heat and humidity in the 90s’s which didn’t help.

 

We hailed an UBER to avoid dealing with the local taxi drivers and Tuk Tuks, he arrived in a few minutes. The only disappointment was when we realized that he couldn’t get inside the port area and had to drop us off ½ mile away at the outer port security. We did enjoy a nice view of the Amsterdam glistening alongside the pier with her friendship lights illuminated.

 

 

Future travelers take note. Determine ahead of time exactly what you want to see in Colombo and where you want to go. I didn’t do my homework and was disappointed by the shops around the Fort area within walking distance of the ship. In hindsight I should have spent more time finding a reputable driver and guide or taken one of the HAL tours. An earlier start when it was cooler would also be a good idea.

 

Back on the ship we enjoyed another wonderful meal in the MDR. There wasn’t a live show tonight in the Queens Lounge, but instead they were showing the movie “Spy” which we had already seen, so we headed back to our cabin to finish packing for our overland trip to India the next morning.

[jig]

Sorry you didn't like it. I thrive in places like that. Yes , an early start would have been better. Like I said, we hired a car and driver for six hours from the Hilton. I think it was like $28 and we gave him another $20 at the end took us everywhere we wanted to go and the car belonged to the Hilton.

Throughout the third world everyone tries to sell you something, some more then others. You will see that x10 in India. To be fair about Colombo the gov sell the idea about cruise ships coming that all these tourists come and spend. In reality ,sadly that is not the case. The line sells tours from a company most likely owned by someone from the gov and almost nothing gets back to the local population. Always a sore point with me. Enjoy India.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Sorry you didn't like it. I thrive in places like that. Yes , an early start would have been better. Like I said, we hired a car and driver for six hours from the Hilton. I think it was like $28 and we gave him another $20 at the end took us everywhere we wanted to go and the car belonged to the Hilton.

Throughout the third world everyone tries to sell you something, some more then others. You will see that x10 in India. To be fair about Colombo the gov sell the idea about cruise ships coming that all these tourists come and spend. In reality ,sadly that is not the case. The line sells tours from a company most likely owned by someone from the gov and almost nothing gets back to the local population. Always a sore point with me. Enjoy India.

 

 

Thanks for the tip about the Hilton driver. That would have helped a lot. We are now in Agra with a car and driver plus guide. Heading out to the markets now, then full moon viewing tonight of the Taj

[chefestelle]

Thanks for this insight. I particularly appreciate your comments about what you would do differently - just in case I ever get the chance to follow behind!

 

 

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[jig]

We had a great guide in Agra. He was a collage teacher. For a full day we were told to pay him $25 but gave him $40. Amazing. With only one exception all our guides were wonderful.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the tips on Columbo. We had planned on using a combination of taxis and walking but after your post I am more inclined to pre-arrange something.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Thanks for the tips on Columbo. We had planned on using a combination of taxis and walking but after your post I am more inclined to pre-arrange something.

 

 

I would definitely pre arrange and then research what you want to see in advance. Walking is OK but be prepared for aggressive solicitors and have your route figured out ahead of time. If you set your expectations correctly it will be fine. Start early when cooler too. Do the opposite of what I did (smile)

 

 

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[bcummin]

I was very happy with the Colombo, Sri Lanka pier shops in 2013. Certainly it was buyer beware, but I was thrilled with the results.

We did a HAL excursion that day, but even that got changed from what we originally thought we would do. We were notified of the itinerary change.

I have good memories.

Enjoy your adventure :)

Barbara

Edited March 23, 2016 by bcummin

[Jazmyn49]

We had a similar experience to what you described in Columbo with the tuk tuks. We had agreed on a price of US$10 for 2 hours which seemed to be the going rate for the drivers who were waiting there. The driver soon picked up a buddy who was a tout for a jewelry store, selling gems of unknown quality. The tuk tuk stopped there and would not go on until we visited the store. That's when we should have bailed. Once back at the ship, the driver demanded $50!! He threatened to take us to the police station if we did not pay. YES! Take us to the police station where we can report this. Well, he did not want that but continued to threaten and had us quite intimidated, along with his buddy. We insisted we did not have that much money on us and that it was to be $10 plus tip. He threw our $10 on the ground and continued to threaten and stand between us and the sidewalk to the ship. There was no security in sight and we were truly frightened. We finally gave in and he got $21 but continued to scream and yell at us, balling up his fist. We were thrilled when the ship sailed and certainly do not plan to return. We wrote to both the tourist bureau and to the jewelry store but had no reply from either. So BEWARE! We are very experienced travelers but were way too naïve in this port.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We had a similar experience to what you described in Columbo with the tuk tuks. We had agreed on a price of US$10 for 2 hours which seemed to be the going rate for the drivers who were waiting there. The driver soon picked up a buddy who was a tout for a jewelry store, selling gems of unknown quality. The tuk tuk stopped there and would not go on until we visited the store. That's when we should have bailed. Once back at the ship, the driver demanded $50!! He threatened to take us to the police station if we did not pay. YES! Take us to the police station where we can report this. Well, he did not want that but continued to threaten and had us quite intimidated, along with his buddy. We insisted we did not have that much money on us and that it was to be $10 plus tip. He threw our $10 on the ground and continued to threaten and stand between us and the sidewalk to the ship. There was no security in sight and we were truly frightened. We finally gave in and he got $21 but continued to scream and yell at us, balling up his fist. We were thrilled when the ship sailed and certainly do not plan to return. We wrote to both the tourist bureau and to the jewelry store but had no reply from either. So BEWARE! We are very experienced travelers but were way too naïve in this port.

 

 

Confirms that getting a driver arranged in advance is the way to go in Colombo. Thanks for sharing. When did this happen?

 

Google "Colombo Sri Lanka Tuk Tuk Scams". you are not alone....lots of stories....

Edited March 23, 2016 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Jazmyn49]

Our trip was about 4 years ago and left us shaken. We should have been more aware and perhaps gone with others or on a ship's tour. Oh well, lesson learned.

[cccole]

It must have been a daunting task when looking at all of the ports on the WC and think about planning your time. I think you have done an exceptional job of really enjoying ports and not being treated like a herd of cattle. You will probably do this at the end, but I would love to know if at the half way point there is less excitement, you become a bit weary, or it is as wonderful as the day you boarded. From your posts you seem to fall in the last category.

 

Looking forward to your reports on India. It seems like a place like no other, where the sights, sounds, and smells assault all senses. I mean this in a very positive way. Thanks again for letting us travel with you. Cherie

[cruisekmc]

It must have been a daunting task when looking at all of the ports on the WC and think about planning your time. I think you have done an exceptional job of really enjoying ports and not being treated like a herd of cattle. You will probably do this at the end, but I would love to know if at the half way point there is less excitement, you become a bit weary, or it is as wonderful as the day you boarded. From your posts you seem to fall in the last category.

 

 

 

Looking forward to your reports on India. It seems like a place like no other, where the sights, sounds, and smells assault all senses. I mean this in a very positive way. Thanks again for letting us travel with you. Cherie

 

 

Great question!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

It must have been a daunting task when looking at all of the ports on the WC and think about planning your time. I think you have done an exceptional job of really enjoying ports and not being treated like a herd of cattle. You will probably do this at the end, but I would love to know if at the half way point there is less excitement, you become a bit weary, or it is as wonderful as the day you boarded. From your posts you seem to fall in the last category.

 

Looking forward to your reports on India. It seems like a place like no other, where the sights, sounds, and smells assault all senses. I mean this in a very positive way. Thanks again for letting us travel with you. Cherie

 

 

I will write more on this later, but you have to work to avoid getting into a rut and develop a "been there, done that attitude" We all remember the wonder of our first cruise and the excitement that comes when everything is shiny and new. On a world cruise, you need to stay rested and always remind yourself how every day is wonderful and avoid negative thinking.

 

Just like Lake Woebegone, where all the children are above average, on a cruise - every day is above average and so is every meal and every show.....

 

Great question - more to come

[jig]

When dealing with a driver anywhere what you should do is carry a pen and paper. Make a price and have HIM write it down. Therefore you will have no problem. Learned that many years ago.

 

 

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[The-Inside-Cabin]

Day 77, Colombo, Sri Lanka to New Delhi, India

 

Our group assembled in the Ocean bar at 9:30 to begin our independent overland adventure to India and more specifically, New Delhi, Agra and the Taj Mahal. There are 7 other people joining us for a total of 9 travelers. Our general itinerary is here:

 

March 22: Fly to New Delhi on Sri Lanka Airlines – Transfer to Hilton Garden Inn in Saket area of Delhi

March 23: Leave Delhi at 9AM and drive to Agra arriving around 1pm. Visit Agra Fort, Early Dinner, Shopping – then view Taj Mahal for Full Moon viewing at 11:30 PM – Hotel: Doubletree Hotel

March 24: View Taj Mahal at sunrise, breakfast at Hotel, Baby Taj and other Agra sites – Return to Delhi, evening free, Hotel: Le Meridien New Delhi

March 25: All Day New Delhi City tour of various sites

March 26: Fly to Dubai on Emirates – Hotel: Hyatt Regency Dubai

March 27: Rejoin Ship on Dubai day 1

 

I made all the flight arrangements and hotel reservations myself but hired a local tour company to arrange for transportation to and from Agra along with local guides in Agra and New Delhi.

 

I had arranged thru a UK company, Holiday Taxi, for a van to take us to the airport in Colombo. Back in December when I booked the transfer I knew we would be at the Queen Elizabeth Pier which is also listed as having a cruise terminal (It turns out Colombo doesn’t really have a cruise terminal). Holiday Taxi is a middle man in the UK and while I prefer to deal with local companies directly I was unable to find one on the internet and using a middleman was the only option I could discover. The fare was only $40 and I figured that I would be able to find a local taxi in a big city like Colombo if the driver was a no show. I didn’t realize when I made the booking that access to the cruise terminal was restricted.

 

With a pickup from the ship scheduled for 10AM and I went down to the pier at 9:30 to see if the driver was already waiting. No one was there and after about 15 minutes I gave the local office a call. They transferred me to the driver who tells me he is waiting at the Main Gate, ½ mile away. We had no interest is walking that far with our bags so I went to the taxi dispatcher on the pier and told him I wanted to get a cab for 6 people to go to the main gate. Once he found out I am going to the airport, they immediately want to match whatever prearranged fare I have and take me there directly. Had I not already paid for the guy waiting for me at the main gate I would have taken him up on it. The dispatcher quoted me a price of $10 for a ½ mile trip and I counter with $5 and he accepts. He then calls for a van which arrives in a few minutes, but I have to reconfirm the price with the actual driver and also argue with him again that I don’t want him to take me to the airport, simply the main gate and that $5.00 is already probably 3 times to real fare for such a distance. He finally agrees, we all board the van and off we go.

 

Once at the main gate we discover there are a dozen Tuk Tuks, a few taxis and a couple of vans already waiting. None of the vans have my name on the front nor the name of the local company running the vans. We drive a little further down the street and see a few more vans, but none of them have my name or the name of the company. The driver pulls over and asks if I have the van drivers number so he could call him and find out where the other driver is waiting. I show him a piece of paper with the number, but he then informs me that his phone is suddenly broken and I would have to call with my phone. He was probably hoping I would give up and hire him to take us to the airport. I call the driver, put it on speaker, and the two drivers converse quickly in the local language and he lets me know that my hired van will be pulling right up in a few minutes. We all pile out of the first van and start to transfer to the new van when my driver insists on another $5. Normally in these situations, I would refuse, pitch a fit and walk off, but we were in a hurry to get going and all of our bags were still on his van. So eager to get going and avoid arguing any further, I handed him a $10 bill and silently wished him bad luck. It’s transactions like this that make you want to avoid certain cities and Colombo is now firmly on my Do Not Return List.

 

We are now in the new van and spent the next 20 minutes inching thru crowded streets filled with Tuks Tuks and pedestrians. Finally we break out of the jammed roads and onto an open interstate type highway where we flowed at the speed limit all the way to the airport. Total travel time turned out to be 38 minutes. We are dropped off at the airport on the curb by the Departures Sign

 

 

The airport is not very big and not very busy which was a pleasant surprise. Before you can even get inside the terminal you have to present your ID and evidence that you have a reservation. You are also required to walk thru a metal detector while your bags are passed around the metal detector. Strange. It seems to miss the point if you can hand off your purse or backpack and have it pass unscreened while you walk thru the metal detector. But as you learn with airport security anywhere, don’t think or ask questions, simply do what they ask and move on.

 

Once inside the terminal, we wandered thru an area lined with souvenir shops and into another building, this one with the actual airline ticket counters, but first we have to go thru another metal detector however this time they also send our bags thru an x-ray machine.

 

While waiting to check in with our group we learned that the Amsterdam Front Desk gave the other travelers the departure cards that we had filled out prior to our entry into Sri Lanka. I had specifically asked the Front Desk when I picked up my passport if I needed the departure cards since I noticed it was missing. The Front Desk person assured me that I wouldn’t need a departure card since we are leaving from the airport. I looked at my passport and saw the arrival stamp so I knew I had documentation of my entry into Sri Lanka in case I had to prove a valid entry on a certain date. It turned out that we didn’t need the departure cards and our other travelers were given theirs unnecessarily, but with the way certain immigration rules can sometimes change on a whim, it never hurts to have extra documentation.

 

Once we got to the front of the check in line we handed the Sri Lanka Airlines agent our passports which she checked for our Indian Visa. All Good. She then wanted to see evidence of a ticket leaving India – we showed her our confirmation page of our flight to Dubai – still good. Then she wanted to see the credit card that I used to buy the ticket – not good – as that card was comprised and I was issued a new one after I bought the ticket with different numbers. Had I known what the old number was, they would have been happy, but since I didn’t have easy access to that information, I told them what happened and waited. I figured if push came to shove I could have called AMEX and they could have told me, or I could have looked on my laptop where I had a picture of my old credit card, but I had time to wait to see what would happen. She went off to talk to two different supervisors and I ended up talking to someone on the phone who wanted to know the credit card billing address. Once they were able to match the billing address to the address on the ticket, they were happy and we completed our check in after 20 minutes of waiting .

 

We were now off to immigration where I was worried for a bit that they would demand the departure card, but they didn’t and without saying a word they stamped our passport and we were on our way to the terminal area where the gates are located. We had 2 hours to kill so we went upstairs and looked for some seats. All the seats were taken, except those in the Burger King. We all bought something to eat and camped out at a couple of tables for the next 90 minutes.

 

With one hour to departure we head down to the gate and waited in line for 15 minutes to go thru USA style security – belt and shoes off, laptop on the tray etc. They didn’t care about bottles of water so we were able to keep the ones we bought outside of security.

 

They started boarding on time, but instead of walking down a jet way we boarded a bus and headed out to our plane and boarded via an air stair to the rear door. Preflight and taxi were on time and the safety announcements were both in English and Sinhalese. The Captain spoke only in English when he updated us on the flights status. The one pleasant surprise was when the flight attendants started passing out menus for our complimentary lunch service complete with complimentary beer and wine. We had a choice of a vegetarian curry dish or a chicken curry dish – both were served hot in the small trays you used to get back when USA carriers served hot meals in coach.

 

 

The remainder of the flight was uneventful and we landed exactly on time. The Indira Gandhi International Airport is very modern, at least the international terminal where we arrived. There were some very interesting hand sculptures, called Mudras, attached to the wall above the immigration kiosks. Mudras are expressive hand gestures that are part of Indian Classical Dance and Yoga. Here is a description of the nine different Mudras on display in the immigration area.

 

 

We had obtained the paper visa and immigration was a snap. Others in our group got the new Indian E-Visa and they had to go to a separate line, but their process was speedy as well with no issues. If you arrive by ship, you cannot use the e-visa as seaports aren’t set up with the right equipment. I got the Indian Visa myself, it was easy, took about 2 weeks and cost less than $150.

 

The owner of the our Indian tour company texted me that he would be waiting for us outside gate 6. He was easy to find and once our group was assembled he summoned our vehicle and driver which would be the same for all 4 days. There would be 9 of us in a 13 passenger van so we would have a little room stretch out.

 

We spent a few minutes confirming the details of our trip and then we were off to our Hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn in Saket, an area of New Delhi. Saket was only 10 miles away, but it took us 70 minutes to get there. The traffic in Jakarta was like a small town on a Sunday afternoon compared to New Delhi. People here drove as if there were no traffic rules. Drive where and when you want and try not to hit anybody. Lanes meant nothing. Traffic signals meant nothing. Driving on the correct side of the road was generally followed but still optional. We would drive like mad for maybe ½ miles at 35 miles an hour, weaving around traffic, horn blaring, motorcycles scattering, bigger trucks and busses using their size to command the right of way.

 

If you were not an aggressive driver, you may as well walk. They drive on the left side and once we needed to make a right turn across 3 lanes of traffic going the other direction. A jersey wall was the only thing stopping graphic from swarming onto our side of the road. When we reached a break in the jersey barrier, people in the US would put on their blinker and wait for a gap. Not here. Our driver simply started his turn, horn blaring, intimidating oncoming traffic to stop which opened up a gap for use to cross the 3 lanes of traffic. One difference was that every driver was PAYING ATTENTION because they knew that any second a car could easily turn right in front, cut you off or any number of other road rage originating incidents if something similar happened in the USA.

 

Our driver, Satish, said you needed three things to drive in India. Good horn, Good Brakes and Good Luck….

 

We learned that all of the popular higher end hotels are mini fortresses. Their entrances were guarded by imposing gates, every vehicle is stopped and sentries use mirrors to inspect the underside of vehicles for explosives. Our hotel had a metal detector and x ray machine right on the sidewalk. It was a little weird to see so much security for every hotel.

 

Unlike Australia and other countries, Indians working in the tourist trade have a robust expectation of gratuities. We only had roller bags and I think the bell hop may have tackled me to prevent me from taking our own bag to our room. We finally relented and ended up tipping him 100 rupees.

 

Our hotel was next to two high end malls, with every conceivable USA branding restaurant available – from Krispy Kreme to McDonald’s, Starbucks to Victoria Secret. We were tired and it was late so we made an easy choice and went to the Hard Rock Café.

 

As expected the Hard Rock café was familiar and very similar to every other Hard Rock Café around the world. This one was on the smaller side of the others, but it had the familiar menu and beverage selections. While we were in the restaurant the only thing on the TVs spread thought out the restaurant was a cricket game between New Zealand and Pakistan. Over the next 90 minutes I spent more time watching cricket then I had previously in my entire life.

 

It was now a little after 10 pm. With the malls open until 11 pm, we set off to find the Starbucks in the next mall to see if they sold the mugs with the city name. We walked through the mall, found the passage to the second mall, went through a security check and found the Starbucks. But they didn’t carry the mugs we were looking for. We retraced our steps, back through security into our original mall and finally back to our hotel, which was connected to the mall, and back up to our room.

 

More on the blog - http://www.theinsidecabin.com

[jig]

Seems like it was a hassle leaving the ship. I do remember the long walk to the fate of the pier. I wonder if lots of people feel like you do and give the feedback to HAL that they might just skip Sri Lanka all together. Not sure why but it looks like that's what has happened to Burma.

The baksheesh culture is alive and well in India. But that's not why he would not let you take you own bag. No Indian that can afford to stay in a hotel would carry their own bag. Just doesn't happen. When we arrive in chennai at our hotel we walk outside and right away, can I get you a car? No , I said, we are going for a walk. The doormen just could not understand why we would do that. No Indian would. We would find that all over the country.

I think we were in that mall as well as we were at the hard rock restaurant. Hope you have enjoy the monuments in Agra. The city is nothing to write home about. Waiting for you report.