Woken up from my sublime nap, I felt the vibrations of the plane’s wheels as we skidded across the runway, to a complete stop. Our luggage, all five members of our family made our way toward the exit. With my first step off the immense Lufthansa aircraft, the smell of heavy smoke with a slight mix of spices greeted my nose. I knew I had reached what I called my second home, India.
The summer’s heat was unbearable in the city of Agra. Outside the airport there lie a line of taxis waiting to find passengers in need of their service. We climbed abroad the small black and yellow car as a middle aged man started the engine. The traffic made the drive to our hotel seem like days, rather than half an hour.
â–º QUARTER FINALIST 2012 TEEN TRAVEL WRITING SCHOLARSHIP
Exhausted and sluggish, we somehow managed to carry our luggage up to our room, where we would be staying for the next few days. I scurried over to my bed and fell fast asleep for tomorrow would be a big day.
Blinded by the sun’s luminous rays peaking through the window, I slowly rose from my bed with a relaxing stretch, followed by an obnoxious yawn. We all got dressed and headed out the door to begin our adventurous afternoon. Being first time visitors in Agra we decided to go to the most important attraction there. We gathered in front of the 7th wonder of the world formally known as the Taj Mahal. Its beauty and wondrous glow shined through the metal bars of the gate, where I stood. Walking through the entrance, the majestic white marble pillars surrounding the largest tomb in the world caught my eye. An arrangement of tropical flowers lined up against the paved pathways, I trotted along. Off to the side, freshly trimmed grass seated weary tourists. Leading up to the Taj, there stood a long rectangular pond with individual fountains spraying refreshing droplets of water as people passed by. Doorsteps welcoming us inside soon led us into hallways masked with rare and precious stones. Not only did the Taj Mahal mesmerize me with all its radiance, its history and cultural background had a key part in making this first time visit a blast.
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