The Agra fiasco and beyond...

Allow me to say a little more about my experience in Agra. If anything it was a great lesson and prepared me to deal with touts for the rest of the trip. His name was Tahil and he pounced on me as soon as I got out of the train station. At first I ignored him and told him to go away but eventually I asked him for a ride to my guesthouse. After much persuasion I agreed to let him tour me around for the day. I was getting really tired and angry about stopping at these shops and told him. He was dissapointed and admitted that he knew but that he was earning money by doing so, even if I didn't buy anything. Still it was a waste of my time and I refused which pissed him off. After spending about an hour in the train station reserving a ticket for the next day I came out to find a friend of his in our car. A black leather jacket greaseball that claimed to have been to Canada, also promising to be my friend til the end. After turning down a beer invitation, I approached Tahil to pay him and got this blank stare from him when I waited for my change. No tip? After a lot of huffing and puffing he starts to claim that he has no change and that I have to get it. It's dark, no shops, A LOT of dudes just standing around glaring at me, finally I get it and fork over a dollar tip. I turn down his offer to drive me to the train station the next morning he shouts and his friend grabs him and then they're gone. The things to see and do here are phenomenal but it's so hard to enjoy them when you have to put up with this kind of nonsense all the time. The rest of the night I tried to just chill and forget about the guy but it kept coming back to me. As I was standing on the platform the next morning and the train was approaching Tahil pops up. He smiles at me and says that he has to get ready. Ready for what? Suddenly men are running alongside the train, scouting out their prey and calling which tourist is theirs to the other 'guides' It occurs to me that the exact same thing happened to me the previous day but it's all good because Tahil and I have settled it. At times I feel both frightened and enlightened, so high one minute and then it just vanishes. I can't complain though. The Taj Mahal truly is a wonder, I can't put it into words so I hope you're satisfied with a picture.

Sitting on the train soaking up the scenery I felt that positive vibe and hopefulness again only to have it shattered again at Jhansi. Originally Jhansi was to be a transit point to get to Khajaraho. Instead a lying taxi driver takes me across town to the wrong bus stop claiming that there are no buses to Khajaraho today from the train station, as the bus passes in the opposite direction. One wasted trip and argument later I realize that I have missed the last bus out. I angrily approach a fellow traveller and ask him if he has any information about getting out. He doesn't but he strongly recommends that I stay nearby in a village called Orccha. Fuck it. I hail the happiest autorickshaw driver in town and he speeds me out to the village. I've been staying here for 2 days now and really don't want to go. The place is a wonderful break from all the shit. Everywhere you look there are temples and ruins to see, great people and best of all no touts. laid back. I met a guy last night sipping special lassis that has been here for 2 weeks. Everyone seems to be smoking grass and the closest I came to danger was when a cow slyly tried to headbutt my arm this morning. I've been trekking through the ruins and visiting the river and nearby villages all day. Tomorrow I'll try to get to Khajaraho, but I have my doubts. I'll post when I post folks!