We travel with the rubber Chicken. I spent a lot of time in India in 2007 and during one extended trip Linda joined me for about 10 days. I was based in Mumbai for work, and we also visited Goa (beach), Delhi, and Agra. The Taj Mahal is in Agra – a several hour drive from Delhi via the ‘highway of death‘.
There is a reasonable level of security at the entrance to the Taj Mahal (metal detector and a pat down). Since the Chicken is not metal, we passed the first test. I had the Chicken in the pocket of my shirt, so it was visible (it did not occur to me that maybe I should hide the Chicken). Following the metal detector, you encounter a security officer who performs a physical inspection (separate for men and for women). The security officer saw the Chicken, grabbed the Chicken, looked at the Chicken, laughed at the Chicken, pulled on the Chicken to ascertain its composition, and then promptly told me I could not enter the grounds with the Chicken. He informed me that I would need to check the Chicken in the bag storage facility and pointed me in the appropriate direction. I argued the Chicken was safe and not a threat to the Taj Mahal or any visitors – ‘pictures only – rubber’. The security guard laughed and again pointed me to bag storage, where I paid about US$1 to check the Chicken (note on exit I was solicited for a bribe to recover the Chicken – since we have two I would have left the Chicken – but a very brief but loud and animated display quickly resulted in the prompt return of the original Chicken).
Next Chicken stop – Grand Canyon.
This cracks me up, as my cousin Dean usually does. Poor Chicken. I can’t believe he was discriminated against! How inconsiderate–locking him up in a bag storage unit. . .