Travel Photography | Taj Mahal Seven Wonders of The World

This is the final part of our Indian Journey, after this I will still share my India picture here but will not concentrate about itinerary but just about the place and photograph. After more than five hours journey by train from Jaipur finally we reached Agra Fort Train Station around 10:35 P.M. The station was quite big, old and classic but we were too tired to take a decent photograph here, and I didn’t take any pictures here in the Agra Fort Train Station. We want to rush out to get to our hotel even though we haven’t booked any hotel just yet.

During our journey from Jaipur The Pink City , I have discussed with my friends that we will choose a hotel that was not very far from Taj Mahal area so we can just walk to the Taj Mahal without taking any mode of transportation. After browsing through Lonely Planet book, we decided to stay around Taj Ganj area, I don’t know what’s the place looks like but all I can imagine is that, it was closer to the Taj Mahal and we decided to stay at Hotel Kamal because according to Lonely Planet book, this hotel provide the best close up view of Taj Mahal from its rooftop restaurant. In fact as we get closer to the Agra Fort Train Station we were so exited hoping to see Taj Mahal from a distance but we were disappointed, there is no Taj Mahal view in sight.

As usual, right after we get out of the train station we were approached by tout, asking us where we want to go, where we want to stay, it was dark outside, a bit scary sometimes, almost 11 P.M by the time we get out of the train station, I tell them of the tout that we want to go to Taj Ganj area and ask them whether he know that place or not. One of them can take us there with one auto rickshaw for Rs 200. He said the Taj Ganj area was quite far away, I tell them that I’ve done my homework and I know that Taj Ganj area is not that far away and tell them that I will pay them Rs 100 only instead of Rs 200.

Rs 100 for one auto rickshaw, so we have to pay Rs 200 for two auto rickshaw. I tell them to take us straight to Kamal Hotel and when they ask us why I want to go to the Hotel, I just said that we have already booked that hotel, I just don’t want them to take us to another hotel. We are very tired  and have no mood for further discussion. I told them, just take us to the Kamal Hotel.

Along the journey from auto rickshaw i keep looking everywhere hoping to see Taj Mahal, I know that Taj Mahal is big, it’s huge, so it is only make sense that we can see it as we approach Taj Ganj area but unfortunately we didn’t see it. Not even a Taj Mahal sign board. I think they must take us to the wrong place, how come we can’t see Taj Mahal, from a distance, after all it is big. I don’t know and I don’t have the courage to ask our auto rickshaw driver where it is.

Finally our driver stop at the road side and I can see Kamal Hotel signboard but still we were unsure whether this is the right place, whether this is Taj Ganj area and the only way to confirm this place is to walk to the hotel and ask the reception, to tell you the truth we were lying when we tell them  that we have already booked the hotel, actually we never booked that hotel. Unfortunately to our nightmare the hotel is fully booked, I just don’t know what to say to our auto rickshaw driver.

To cover the truth, the truth that we actually never booked the hotel before, I just quickly get out of the Kamal Hotel and tell our Auto Rickshaw driver that our rooms has been taken because we are too late. It was pass 11 P.M already and we don’t have any ideas where to go, luckily our Auto Rickshaw driver suggest another hotel, just a couple of block away from Kamal Hotel, they show us SAII Palace Hotel, before I agree to stay there, I ask the man at reception counter to see the room first and whether we can see Taj Mahal from hotel rooftop area.

I just simply could not describe my feelings the very first time I see Taj Mahal in front of my eyes, there were no light at Taj Mahal, all I can see is the shape of Taj Mahal from a distance, a silhouette of Taj Mahal, I try to believe but I could not believe what I saw is the real Taj Mahal. After all this while finally we are here, just a few minutes from Seven Wonders of The World and I just can’t wait for tomorrow morning.

We have to pay Rs 800 for two rooms, we are a group of five peoples , so we need two rooms to sleep comfortably. After very long journey we were very tired and hungry but like what I’ve written previously  most of restaurant here in India are closed at 10 P.M but still we want to find out by ourselves. After we drop our backpacks at the hotel rooms, we get down and just walking aimlessly hoping to find a restaurant or any shops that was still open to buy some foods and drinks.

Maybe were lucky that night that we finally find a small stall by the roadside that bake a bread, like a burger, they just put the bread on top of hot plates and just add some curry and scramble egg on top of it, I think it is good enough to keep us from hungry and on the opposite of the stall is another small shop that sell drinks and light snacks. Forget to mention that, the stalls where we bought our foods is not very far from the hotel, just two to three minute walk only.

Those pictures above were taken from Saii Palace Hotel Rooftop Restaurant, less than five minute walk from the hotel, you can reach Taj Mahal South Gate and about those three ladies there, they are from France, just check in the hotel and straight away going on top of the hotel to take some pictures.