So my post on our 9 days trip to India has ended and below is our itinerary:

21st - 22nd March - Flew on a red eye flight to Calcutta. Slept at the airport for a few hours while waiting to board IndiGo  flight to Jaipur. Checked-in hotel and waited for my sister and her friend to arrive late evening.

23rd March - Started our day early in the morning exploring Jaipur Pink city. Visited the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Albert Hall and Hawa Mahal

24th March - Took a tuk-tuk and visited Amber fort (Amer fort) and Jal Mahal (on the way back to the hotel)

25th March - Took an evening sleep bus towards Agra. Arrived Agra the next morning

26th March - Had breakfast and headed out to explore Agra. Visited the Baby Taj, Sunset Point, tried Mughal dish at one of the restaurant around the city. Souvenirs hunting too.

27th March - Visited the Taj Mahal and tour around the city again with Azeem. Also visited the Fatehpur Sikri in the afternoon before leaving for Chandigarh that night. Board the evening sleep train to Chandigarh. Arrived the next morning. Took the toy train towards Shimla. The ride took about 5 hours.

28th March - 29th March - Visited a few places in Shimla and spent the evening strolling the small town and some other part of Shimla

30th March - Checked out around 7.30am because we were rushing to the airport. Decided to take the cab down from the mountains. Took afternoon flight to Bangalore and transit to KLIA2.

Survival tips in India:

1. Bring an extra water bottle and wet tissue inside your bag/totebag

2. Before flagging down a tuk-tuk, ask around the average price of the destination that you're heading to.

3. If you get a very good tuk-tuk/cab driver in the city, get his number and hire him throughout your stay in that area. It's hard to find an honest driver in India.

4. Use a smaller backpack to go around the city as there are many pick pockets.

5. Tip your driver at the end of your stay as the locals appreciate any small gesture.

6. Do not panic if you're lost. Find someone who is well dressed to ask for directions.

7. Bring one single bedded bed sheet just in case. For women, bring also your own sanitary pad.

8. Wear a decent clothing when you travel to India.

9. Wear shoes and bring an extra face mask as India has a very high pollution rate.

10. Enjoy and don't stress yourself out cause India is actually more than cows and goats walking by the street :-)

*please mind that this is a very long post*

Shimla was our final destination. It took us a total of 14 hours to reach the peak of the Himalayan mountains and it was a worth while journey. The best throughout our trip in India I believe.

Shimla is home to a number of colleges and research institutions as well as multiple temples and palaces. The city's buildings are styled in the Tudorbethan and neo-Gothic architectures dating from the colonial era.

Owing to its steep terrain, Shimla hosts the mountain biking race MTB Himalaya, which started in 2005 and is regarded as the biggest event of its kind in South Asia.

Shimla lies in the south-western ranges of the Himalayas. It has an average altitude of 2,397 metres (7,864 ft) above mean sea level and extends along a ridge with seven spurs. The city stretches nearly 9.2 kilometres (5.7 mi) from east to west. Shimla was built on top of seven hills namely: Inverarm Hill, Observatory Hill, Prospect Hill, Summer Hill, Bantony Hill, Elysium Hill and Jakhoo Hill. The highest point is Jakhoo hill at 2,454 metres (8,051 ft). The city is a Zone IV (High Damage Risk Zone) per the Earthquake hazard zoning of India. Weak construction techniques and an increasing population pose a serious threat to the already earthquake prone region.

Shimla has many temples and is often visited by devotees from nearby towns and cities. The Kali Bari temple, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali is near the mall. Jakhoo Temple, for the Hindu god Hanuman is located at the highest point in Shimla. Sankat Mochan, another Hanuman temple, is famous for the numerous monkeys that are always found in its vicinity. It is located on Shimla-Kalka Highway about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the city. The nearby temple of Tara Devi is a place for performing rituals and festivals. Other prominent places of worship include a Gurudwara near the bus terminus and a Church on The Ridge.

We started our journey from Agra railway station to Chandigarh railway station. The journey took about 9 hours on a sleeping train. We arrived Chandigarh roughly around 4am. The weather in Chandigarh was a bit chilly but Shimla has a colder weather as it was almost the end of winter season. You can still see spots of snow along the trail. The best time to visit Shimla is early of March when the winter time is at its peak.

 The train is divided into 2 section. First will be the lower class and other one will be the 2nd upper class coach (this is with the 3-storey high sleeping bunks). The price of the train tickets are around RM 40 and is a pre-book train tickets. You can book them here.

Trains are one of the main transportation system for the locals. Thousands of passenger board the train on a single ride per day. Therefore, it is advisable to pre-book your tickets earlier before your departure. Some may book months ahead. Once you're there, go to the ticket counter and show your pre-book tickets. You can pay upon arrival.

The train stations are organize but I wouldn't use the word clean. There are also waiting room for 2nd upper class ticket holders. But bear in mind that these waiting rooms are separated according to gender regardless if you're husband and wife. 

There are also service room for you to have your shower and nap. The charges are around RM 1 per hour and makan stall are available too The one thing that I notice throughout my trip was that, there is a book stall in every train stations and they're sold at a very cheap price.

The railway system in India is very efficient. In fact they have one of the best system in the world. You can read Top 10 world best railway system here. There'll be LED notice board at every platform on information of that particular train. Announcement is made in local dialect so if you're unsure, you can inquire from the ticket counter. If your train is delayed, the information will be up on the LED notice board but normally the trains are punctual.

This is Azeem. He was our tuk-tuk driver cum tourist guide in Agra. He works with Pyrenesse Home Stay that we rented. He was the best person we've met in Agra. Honest and a funny guy. I recommend that you hire him when you're there. He tuk-tuk charges are affordable but we did gave him a big tips because he was so nice to us.

In the train itself, you'll be provided with bed sheet, pillow, and pillow cover. They're washed at every session. Your bunk number will be written on the ticket and a train conductor will check your tickets and make sure that you're at the right bunk. The train will stop at certain stations to drop and pick up passengers. You can enjoy the view throughout the journey and see a different side of India.

Upon reaching Chandigarh, we took a 45 minutes ride to Kalka train station in a tuk-tuk. The price was around Rs 300. From Kalka stations, we board the famous toy train towards Shimla. The ride took us about 5 hours with a few toilet stops along the way. Tickets can be purchase at the Kalka counter itself and priced around RM 30 per person. The train travel at a speed of 30km/hour along the mountain range of Himalaya. So each path gives you a different experience. 

The Kalka–Shimla Railway is a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railway in North-West India travelling along a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla. It is known for dramatic views of the hills and surrounding villages.


The shops in Shimla closes very early. By between 6pm to 8pm, the crowd starts to lessen. It's hard to find breakfast there as their shops open around 10am. So we normally buy bread or snacks the night before for breakfast. 

Fun facts about the Kalka Shimla Railway track:

1. Originally 107 tunnels were built on Kalka Shimla Railway Track and 102 remain in use. 

2. The longest tunnel is at Barog. 

3. The line has 864 bridges.

  

4. It has 919 curves, the sharpest being 48 degrees (a radius of 37.47 m or 122.93 feet). 

5. Climbing from 656 meters (2,152 ft), the line terminates at an elevation of 2,076 meters (6,811 ft) at Shimla.

In Shimla, we spent 2 nights in a hotel nearby to the city (I can't remember the name). In was in fact, walking distance to eatery and shops. The total price was Rs 5,600 for a family room. Hotel rates in Shimla are quite pricey because it is a tourist attractions area. The weather was super cold that when we were there, the temperature was about 12 degree Celsius. We brought our winter knitted jacket along. In the day, the weather is quite bearable.



As we were rushing to the airport, we took a taxi down from the mountains of Shimla. We were charged Rs 3,600 for a 4 hour ride. If you can't handle the super winding road,(some road could go up to a 180 degree turn) then I suggest that you travel down by the toy train. From Chandigarh, we took IndiGo to Bangalore (4 hours of flight, booked from MakeMyTrip) and from there we flew back to  KLIA2 via AirAsia.

This was taken in front of Chardigarh International Airport. It's a small airport in the middle of the city with not many things to do inside. Once you check in your bags, you're not allowed to go outside anymore (this is for security purpose). Unlike in Malaysia where you can still walk out and roam around outside of the airport.

When we arrived at the airport, I open the door and kissed the airport floor because I managed to arrive safely (ok ok this is too much, it didn't happen). Considering how our taxi driver drove and the road condition, I'm seriously felt sooooo grateful that I arrived in one piece.

 The newly renovated Bangalore airport (below). It was soooo big but some part of it is still underway. I suggest that you reach the airport a few hours earlier before your departure time because of the high traffic and the security check will take you, sometimes, hours because of the thorough inspections. Prepare your passport and boarding pass beforehand and make sure that you do not bring any prohibited items in your bag or else it will take longer time because they'll interrogate you.

This fort was our final destination in Agra before leaving for Chandigarh as the place is situated around 45 minutes drive from where we stayed. 

This place is too far to go by tuk-tuk. So we asked the home stay to arrange for a taxi with A/C. The cost was about Rs 2,700. Be sure to ask the hotel if this price is including the parking fees, petrol (fuel as pronounced by the locals) and toll charges (it travels on highway too).

Sometimes the taxi driver may charge you extra half way through. Telling you that you need to pay for the fuel and toll charges. It's either you bargain or pay for it (you don't want to end up being dumped by the streets half way through the journey). So it's better to discuss the prices together with the hotel reception so that all are clear.

Fatehpur Sikri was the political capital of India's Mughal Empire under Akbar 's reign, from 1571 until 1585, when it was abandoned, ostensibly due to lack of water.

Fatehpur Sikri shared its imperial duties as a capital city with Agra , where a bulk of the arsenal, treasure hoards, and other reserves were kept at its Red Fort for security. During a crisis, the court, harem, and treasury could be removed to Agra, only 26 miles away, less than a day's march.

Innovations in land revenue, coinage, military organisation, and provincial administration emerged during the Fatehpur Sikri years.

Unlike other important Mughal cities (such as Shahjahanabad , which has a very formal planning), Fatehpur Sikri has aspects of informality and improvisation. Indeed, the newly constructed city bore a similarity to the movable imperial encampment also designed by Akbar. You can read more of it here.

Photo courtesy : PBS

The Taj Mahal from Persian and Arabic, "crown of palaces", pronounced; also "the Taj"is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Taj Mahal's mausoleum complex of white domed marble is actually an integrated complex of many structures. Construction began sometime around 1632 and was completed in 1653, while employing around 20,000 artisans throughout the empire.[6] The construction was entrusted to a board of architects with Ustad Ahmad Lahauri believed to have assumed the role of chief architect.

The Taj Mahal stands on the southern bank of the Yamuna River. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India". Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal attracts some 3 million visitors a year. It is one of the world’s most celebrated structures, a symbol of India’s rich history and is regarded by many as the best example of the Mughal architecture. The Taj Mahal combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural styles.

 Taj Mahal's entrance ticket is the most expensive, Rs 750 per person. If you would like to watch the sunrise in Taj, advisable that you arrive around 5.30am to purchase ticket and line up. The security check will occupied most of your time and do not bring in any food (except mineral water), toys and monopod (I do not know why). Wear the food cover (provided together with your ticket) or remove your shoes at the shoe counter.

As our homestay is situated around 16km from Taj Mahal, the cost for tuk-tuk was around Rs 150.

The view of the Taj Mahal is so marvelous that I never thought I would be able to step foot my presence there. When you're there, enjoy the view and just spend some time lazing around the taj like how we did and take as much photos as you can as memory keepsake.