After touring the Taj Mahal, and grabbing some lunch, Laura, Dan and I hired a rickshaw for the return ride to Agra Fort. It is a large, sprawling complex, with much of the space still dedicated to India’s military.

It is situated along the same river as the Taj Mahal and each can be seen from the other.

Before heading back to the hotel, we agreed to visit some tourist shops as part of our deal with the rickshaw driver. I learned that the drivers can not only earn commissions off what is sold at some places, they can also be given a liter of petrol for simply bringing in new customers. Our first stop was a big store, and we were offered free Pepsi’s to enjoy while doing our best to resist the pressure to buy something.

The weather remained clear, and we hung out at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant for the evening. As we enjoyed a few Kingfishers, and the beautiful sun slowly set, I was surprised to find kites filling the air all around us. Adults and kids alike were flying them from their rooftops, and it seemed to be a very popular activity. A call to prayer rang out from a local mosque’s loudspeaker. I couldn’t have asked for a better evening.