Widely recognized as “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally-admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage” the white-domed Taj Mahal doesn’t seem to get any closer but draws me inexorably towards the finish line of the final stage. The course is flat, a bonus, and I’m coping much better with the heat and humidity after 11 days in the north-western Indian province of Rajasthan. As opposed to the other stages, today’s is on tarred road so requires less concentration – I let myself be pulled along towards the symbol of India – also the symbol of a man’s love for a woman. Legend has it that it was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife who died giving birth to their 14th child.