The mighty Taj

Yesterday, for the first time since I've been here, I was able to see India outside of what the organisers of the Commonwealth Games wanted us to see.

Beyond the branded tarpaulins that hid the scars of the nation - impoverished slums and despondency, all masked behind the graphic of a smiling tiger.

Whatever they had to do to keep that side of India and Delhi hidden from us visitors, they did; from giant decorative walls made with some sort of synthetic material to barricades blocking entry into these areas.

Yesterday, however, I got a rare glimpse of life outside the nicely paved corridors of the capital and I also got a chance to see one of the most recognisable buildings on the planet, the Taj Mahal.

It took quite an effort just to get there, but nothing was going to stop me from seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World; the second that was seen after The Great Wall of China.

I went to bed at 2:30 a.m. and had to wake up an hour later so that we could beat the traffic and get there and back in time, or at least so said our driver and guide. Five hours of driving along winding roads, through neglected towns and villages did little to dampen our enthusiasm.

First it was a near-silhouette, barely visible through a thick mist, or fog, but after a couple kilos, the ancient monument - one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen - was in plain view.

Majestic domes, regal marble layings, handcrafted gems set with perfect precision and an aura that cannot be matched.

The Taj turned out, at least to me, to be worth all the hype and reverence that surrounds it.

Crowning moment

A friend of mine who came along certainly did not share these sentiments.

"We came all this way just to see a big old building and two fake graves?" he asked.

You will hear more about my Taj visit in the coming days, but I can tell you that it has been the crowning moment of my India experience so far, and I doubt with just a few hours left of my time here that it can be bettered.

India Gate, Agra Fort and Red Fort were all worth seeing as well, but again, they really pale in comparison to the Taj Mahal.

Tonight I will sleep in India for the final time during this visit. I've been thinking, trying to figure out if I'm happy to be leaving here or if I'm just happy to be going home. You see, it's not quite the same thing. In fact, I dare say at this point that I'm going to miss this place, or at least something about it, like the rickshaws.