Keys smitten by lore of the Taj
Agra: Prime Minister John Key’s delegation to India successfully escaped the Chilean dust cloud over the Tasman Sea to touch down in New Delhi as scheduled but his arrival in Agra was threatened by a sky heavily overcast by monsoon clouds.
After circling in the sky for the better part of an hour amid thick dark clouds and bolts of lightning the special Air India flight that ferried the Prime Ministerial entourage was cleared to land at the airport that also serves as a base for the Indian Air Force.
There were cheers in the plane as the pilot announced that the plane had been finally cleared to would land in Agra, because there already were murmurs of the prospect of returning to New Delhi without seeing the Taj Mahal.
The monument was closed to visitors during the duration of Mr and Mrs Key’s visit, as were the roads that led to the Taj from the airport.
The entourage spent over an hour at India’s most famous tourist attraction as the Indian Archaeological Survey’s guide explained the many features of the building and its history.
Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Admiral (Retd) Sureesh Mehta and his counterpart, New Zealand High Commissioner to India Jan Henderson were part of the entourage as was New Zealand Member of Parliament Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi.
Both Mr and Mrs Key had many questions to ask of the guide, which he replied to with interesting details and asides. Admiral Mehta also chipped in explaining the finer points of the building and its architecture.
Mr and Mrs Key posed for a number of photographs including the customary one on the marble bench with the magnificent building as the backdrop. New Zealand’s first couple also managed to steal a kiss in front of the magnificent building that is a symbol of love.
The Prime Minister also took a few pictures of Mrs Key on his personal camera, showing them to her on its screen as they walked back from the monument.
Mr Key told Indian Weekender that the grandeur and scale of the building had far exceeded his expectations. “It’s been an incredible experience,” he said. Mrs Key said the experience of the visit was most memorable.
The Prime Minister wrote his impressions in the visitors’ book and presented the guide with a memento from New Zealand.
India’s air force infrastructure and dozens of a variety of transport and special purpose military aircraft lined on both sides of the runway were of special interest to New Zealand’s Air Force crew that were part of the delegation, as the special Air India Airbus 320 taxied in and out of Agra airport.
Agra: Prime Minister John Key’s delegation to India successfully escaped the Chilean dust cloud over the Tasman Sea to touch down in New Delhi as scheduled but his arrival in Agra was threatened by a sky heavily overcast by monsoon clouds.
After circling in the sky for the better part of an hour...
Agra: Prime Minister John Key’s delegation to India successfully escaped the Chilean dust cloud over the Tasman Sea to touch down in New Delhi as scheduled but his arrival in Agra was threatened by a sky heavily overcast by monsoon clouds.
After circling in the sky for the better part of an hour amid thick dark clouds and bolts of lightning the special Air India flight that ferried the Prime Ministerial entourage was cleared to land at the airport that also serves as a base for the Indian Air Force.
There were cheers in the plane as the pilot announced that the plane had been finally cleared to would land in Agra, because there already were murmurs of the prospect of returning to New Delhi without seeing the Taj Mahal.
The monument was closed to visitors during the duration of Mr and Mrs Key’s visit, as were the roads that led to the Taj from the airport.
The entourage spent over an hour at India’s most famous tourist attraction as the Indian Archaeological Survey’s guide explained the many features of the building and its history.
Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand Admiral (Retd) Sureesh Mehta and his counterpart, New Zealand High Commissioner to India Jan Henderson were part of the entourage as was New Zealand Member of Parliament Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi.
Both Mr and Mrs Key had many questions to ask of the guide, which he replied to with interesting details and asides. Admiral Mehta also chipped in explaining the finer points of the building and its architecture.
Mr and Mrs Key posed for a number of photographs including the customary one on the marble bench with the magnificent building as the backdrop. New Zealand’s first couple also managed to steal a kiss in front of the magnificent building that is a symbol of love.
The Prime Minister also took a few pictures of Mrs Key on his personal camera, showing them to her on its screen as they walked back from the monument.
Mr Key told Indian Weekender that the grandeur and scale of the building had far exceeded his expectations. “It’s been an incredible experience,” he said. Mrs Key said the experience of the visit was most memorable.
The Prime Minister wrote his impressions in the visitors’ book and presented the guide with a memento from New Zealand.
India’s air force infrastructure and dozens of a variety of transport and special purpose military aircraft lined on both sides of the runway were of special interest to New Zealand’s Air Force crew that were part of the delegation, as the special Air India Airbus 320 taxied in and out of Agra airport.
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