Pollution in Agra, India

Air quality: When I visited Agra, India in January of 2013, most days you could barely see the Taj from The Red Fort. Visibility was extremely low, approx. 3 miles. The sunsets were dark red, with the sun changing from pale yellow to deep red about 1 hour prior to sunset. It took only 3 days to begin to breathe normally upon return to the western hemisphere.

To be better prepared, I would have had a full regimen of glutathione through a nebulizer prior to traveling and would have studied either Hindi or Arabic intensely for 1-3 years prior to travel. It is much more sexist than Mexico City. Bring a nice long dupata or light weight scarf to cover your head often, and your chest and arms always. Brown, Maroon, Forest green or dark grey would blend just fine, about 8 feet long and at least 45 inches wide. Keep your gluteus maximus covered loosely with your untucked shirt or camiz. Anything you want to keep (camers, maps, books, passport, money keep inside your blouse or pants, just like you would a conceal-carry handgun. Firearms are generally illegal to the general population of India, so don't even talk about that. Don't eat pan or betel-nut products as they have a mildly narcotic effect and make a very clean-living person feel like they are getting sick for no good reason. If you want quiet, get up with the sun and walk before the streetvendors open at 10-11 am. Generally a muslim/hindu traditional town with men very segregated from women. Indians are great conversationalists, but making money comes first, all the time, because there is no socialized retirement or unemployment, so savings are very, very important. Everything is negotiable in India except for foreigners, who should expect to pay 20 to 100 times the amount required of a national, unless you have really done your research.

Palm reading, astrology, birth chart readings and other forms of the occult are just part of the culture, so don't be surprised if people want to give you a reading. I do not recommend this as it tends to affect your decision making later. Beggars without limbs or with severe and un-aided physical disabilities abound. Do not touch livestock that has a dry nose--it is likely to have tuberculosis. If herd animals are alone, it is probably because they are sick and left to die naturally. Monkeys run across the roofs, so bring in the drying laundry and lock the barred doors and windows at night. Sewers are open, although sometimes have a "cover" so be careful. That grey flowing creek is raw sewage flowing to the "holy" Yamuna river. Dogs and cats are not given rabies shots, so keep your distance. Do not look monkeys in the eye--they consider that aggressive and are likely to invade your space.

Be prepared to use squat toilets built into the floor and use your left hand to wash off with the water spigot on the left side of the potty. Greet and eat with the right hand, wash with the left hand. This is an Asian country, so let people save face. This is an Asian country, so expect to go in groups everywhere.