The Baby Taj

To all my followers, I want to apologize for not blogging in the second half of my trip. With a hectic schedule, lots of sites to see, and only a small iPhone keyboard to type on, maintaining my blog proved too much.  However, now that I am home in the States, with a little bit of free time on my hand, I am beginning to process all of my experiences and hope to begin slowly sharing them with you.

Recently I applied for a travel grant through passionpassport.com and while I did not become a finalist in "The Bucket List Initiative," they have asked me to write a few blog entries for their website, which is designed to inspire travel and exploration in todays generation.

As many of you may know, I am an avid Instagrammer, because, as someone who thinks in images, I find it to be an amazing tool to visually share your experiences and adventures with friends, family and the rest of the world.  Passion Passport also believes in the power of the Instagram social network, and asked if they could feature one of my pictures on their profile, along with a story about it.  Here is my story and the picture, along with a link to their Instagram profile.

"Mixed with an equal combination of jet lag and awe, my friends and I set off to Agra from New Delhi. I asked our guide if we could check out 'The Baby Taj,' which is just around the corner from the world famous Taj Mahal. He seemed perplexed by my request, but obliged. It turned out to be one of the best stops of our entire trip. Almost completely tourist free, we found ourselves amidst beautiful and peaceful gardens, all guiding our focus to the magnificent Tom of I'timad-ud-Daulah. If anyone reading has been to India before, you know how loud and hectic it can be, so this quick moment of respite from all the noise was incredible. In addition to giving us a spectacular view of ancient architecture, it also provided a great view of local living since it is set along a river. We had a wonderful time relaxing in the breeze, joking with the young locals and smiling families who washed themselves and their water buffaloes in the Yamuna river. This is truly one of the best kept secrets in all of India."

http://instagram.com/p/cM2M8wKWBE/

I want to thank you all for your support. As I begin a TESOL course that will certify me to teach English as a second language, and look towards the future with it's amazing possibilities both domestically and internationally, I know that this is only the beginning of "The YOLO Diaries."  Please join in my journey as I continue to grow this project, processing both past and present experiences, in hopes of inspiring others to learn, travel, grow, explore, fight fear, love others and seek truth.

- Jordan