You’d be a sour soul indeed if you didn't marvel at the sight of the Taj Mahal. It's one of those things that 99.9 per cent of us want to see, somehow, some day. And rightly so.
But, if you’re planning a visit any time soon, don’t carry US dollars. You’ll have to pay with rupees if you want to get through the gates - and you definitely do. This is one place you need to see close up and personal. 
You need to appreciate how extraordinarly fine its marble walls are: so fine you can see a hand placed on the outside when you're inside. You need to see the decoration; the light and shade of the interior. You need to see ....oh, just take it from me. You need to see it!
Photo by Carlton Browne
Some time ago, I made passing mention of the Taj by moonlight. It’s a sublime sight, and for a while there were guided moonlit tours. I’m having trouble tracking down up-to-date information on these, so please let me know if you have any - the world needs to be told. Meanwhile, if you’re desperate for a moonlit glimpse, the right taxi driver may be able to help. But you didn’t hear this from me. Nor did you read the following little story …
My partner and I happened to catch a taxi from our Agra Hotel, the night we arrived. Heaven knows where we were going, because we certainly never got there. Instead, after casually asking whether it was possible to see the Taj by moonlight, we found ourselves scaling the pitch-dark interior of some battlements, somewhere in the heart of the city. The occasional match flared beneath us to light our way, held by the shaking hand of our driver. There were several sections to ascend, the last of which was a chimney-like tunnel with no hand or footholds. Abandoning his matches, the driver pushed our feet, and out we popped, on to the ramparts of goodness-knows-where. There, before us, lay the Taj, bathed in milky moonlight – an unforgettable and breathtaking sight. We owe that taxi-driver, bigger-than-big-time.
Anyway, moonlight or sunlight, the Taj is glorious, as we discovered the following day. And don’t miss the neighbouring Red Fort. Oh, and one more thing: it's definitely best to take a guided tour of both. Forget your Aussie independence just this once, and fall in line. There's just too much to see, which also means there's an awful lot to miss.
Photo by Carlton Browne
Speaking of India and its attractions, did you know it has some of the world's most amazing hotels? No, really, really amazing ones. If you’re going there, check out the options – they range from Maharajahs’ marbled palaces to luxury tents in the desert. I’ve singled a few out on Expedia Australia. Just take a look at these:
And have you heard about the air-conditioned cave near Bangalore? Okay, it’s a hotel. And it’s amazing – in fact, it sounds quite wonderful.
Well, it's time for tea. Indian, of course.