It is a good idea to do this trip at different times of the day as the changing strengths of light can give a beautiful warm glow to the sandstone buildings that line the banks of the river. After four days in Varanasi it was time to move westward to Agra, home of the exquisite Taj Mahal. There is no superlative that can exaggerate the beauty of this monument to love, built by Shah Jahan in honour of his wife. However, Agra is not such a friendly city and in fact the touts that congregate at the entrance of Agra's Red Fort are downright abusive. Be particularly careful about where you choose to eat because there have been a number of cases of food poisonings with related theft of items from baggage just when you're at your worst.
Most people tend to eat where they are staying, all the guesthouses have their own restaurants.
And isn't this place an eye-opener. The Paharganj is where all backpackers stay. It's a single road leading from the New Delhi Railway Station that is as congested as any street could possibly be. So congested in fact that no cars can negotiate it due to the many cycle rickshaws, beggars and everyday-people going about their business. Ignore the touts and keep walking is the best advice.