Three weeks ago, I got the opportunity to visit my first wonder of the world- the Taj Mahal in India! The Semester at Sea boat, MV World Odyssey, ported in Kochi. Then a group of about forty other students, faculty, and I took a two-hour flight to Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located. The next morning, all of the females of the group draped ourselves in traditional Indian sarees by local women. This was a very fun and immersive cultural experience. We then drove to the Taj, getting there super early in the morning at about 8am. We waited in a short line before the entrance. The entrance was a big arched hallway, and the Taj was seen peeking through it from very far away. The further you walked in everyone could see the Taj more clearly. It was a super beautiful architectural structure, and I have truly never seen anything like it before. For about two hours, we wandered around the Taj, and also did a short tour of the inside. So many locals came up to our group, asking to take pictures with us and complimenting our sarees. This was a super cool experience, and in total we probably took pictures with about twenty people throughout the morning. It felt great seeing people’s smiles after and knowing that something so small like me taking a picture with someone could make someone so happy. I was so sad when I had to leave the Taj but so grateful for the beautiful and fulfilling experience. I encourage everyone to travel and visit the wonders of the world, and I am so excited to find out which one will be next for me.
Included below are photos I took of the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.