2017, March 24th, Udaipur, Rajastan, India 👍

Dateline: March 24th 2017, Udaipur, India

The magic of India - Udaipur

Some road, but mostly on the train

Wiki says:
Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia clan of Rajput founded the city 1553,^[3] and shifted his capital from the city of Chittorgarh to Udaipur. It remained as the capital city till 1818 when it became a British princely state,^[4] and thereafter the Mewar province became a part of Rajasthan when India gained independence in 1947.^[5] Udaipur is a very popular tourist destination. Known for its history, culture, scenic locations and the Rajput-era palaces.

Yes, that is an iced coffee, with a shot of chocolate syrup at 1:30PM, Udaipur

The magic indeed!

It occurred to me yesterday, that as I no longer actively bug you, gentle readers about my ongoing travels and, ahem, insights, ie, these drivelling's are no longer "push" in the parlance of me actively engaging the attention of you, the great unwashed, but "pull" as in you folks who actually initiate reading and viewing....... Caveat Reador is it? I can therefore be as self indulgent as I like.

Well, that's a weight off my mind

Fish Curry, plus a view of another palace/ hotel

We take an additional day in Pushkar, to search for yet more Nirvana, it's lovely here, then decide to head off south.
The chef offers to get up early and make our breakfast really early before we leave, our "wake up call" actually works, just like a 4 star hotel. Really, it's great slumming it sometimes. All mod cons, and the final price was silly.

Pushkar is not where the trains run from, Ajmer is. It's up and over the mountain pass from Puskar, so we use our taxi driver from the Jodhpur trip to get us there for our train to Udaipur.  He's reliable, but still charges the regular (ie agent price) for our travels.

City Palace. A Victorian ish Pleasure Dome in Udaipur

We travel sub white class in 3AC as there's nothing higher on this train; its still cool enough, but sharing with some of the less fortunate. This train, was simply the most convenient at 8:30, it had no 2AC. 3AC simply means that 6 share the seat, as opposed to 4 in 2AC. so you can't really stretch out on your own reserved mattress in these carriages

The hotel, Aashiya, is a real gem. small, family run, nothing is too much trouble here. WiFi sucks (again) but the views here are magnificent. This is a kind of reaction to our Hotel Diamond gig, which was a little too down market for the missus. This place is about $50 per night, and it is fantastic.
One aspect of Indian travel is how you always need bog paper with you, and usually soap. Most travelers have at least one full roll in their backpack, and not just for inconvenient emergencies. Even this type of hotel only has tiny rolls.

Our favourite hagout in Udaipur, The Rainbow restaurant
Many happy hours, meals and drinks here

The  Rainbow cafe (see above), is right on the lake, aware readers will discern the hotel in the background as being in several major movies (don't ask me, I don't watch that stuff, do your own research). I believe some rooms (wings?), go for $1,000,000 per night
After 3 weeks, we try our first non veg - fish curry/ Meh! who cares we both prefer a Dosa these days. More on this later

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modelling
an evening snack 

It is constantly surprising me that I live more than happily on veg, or even vegan food. Yes, GASP!! away all you scoffers. So even no eggs or milk products is all part of a foodies life here. Hmmm, I think I've explained this before, but it's so unbelievable for me too,

It simply can't be improved folks....

It's not a conscious choice, many areas are of a particular religious ideology, like Pushkar, and no place sells anything other than vegan, not even beers here

The most amazing part is that you don't notice the lack of dead animal products, AND it's not a problem

Being, guess what, bloody hot, Ilge retires to the  AC after our lunch, I head out for a Long Walk around the area, and coming back, discover that I can walk through the grounds of the palace,  general admission tickets, at 50 cents, more or less free.

A trip on the lake, cheaper during off peak

Its a big tourist trap, with people queuing up to go on a stupid boat ride around the lake for the outrageous price of $15.00 each. That's a lot of money for any "attraction" let alone something like this....

There's a lot of activity in the various museums and side shows. They are pretty determined here too. No photo ticket, ($5.00) and you can be fined double the fee (about $5). You also need to leave all cameras at the camera deposit before entry if you don't have this pass 

The Palace, a bit worse for wear. 
Essentially, I've had enough of these by now

Looks like I'm done with this old stuff, especially not so very old, like Victorian buildings.

Back for yet more photo ops. It really is a photographers dream, white palaces, photogenic hotels lakes and backdrops.

Note pot of tea and stolen cutlery being utilised

Tea on top of the hotel. It's totally unused up here. We have the papaya we didn't need on the train as the sun sets

The chef at Pushkar introduced us to a "Dosa", actually, Melanie our neighbour did that a few years back, but we had a cheese & onion one in Pushkar.. Incredibly delicious

On my travels around, I have found a stand dedicated just to Dosa's, see above. Due to our papaya supping, we don't get there till late and he's shut down, staff are off duty, and they are just heading home (which actually, is on the roof)

World class Dosa chef in action, after hours
He reopened his stall just to make ours

Amazingly, he opens up for us, drags all of the equipment out (including literally, the kitchen sink, sends his staff off in various directions for the vital missing ingredients, and starts cooking.

They are soo rich. I've got to try and make them back in Toronto

Breakfast at top of a local hotel.
 A day to catch up.

A walk to the palace for Ilge, a coffee in town, the rest of the day I spend trying to get money out of an ATM. Any one.

I actually walk all over and through Udaipur. Its a hard slog, but certainly feel that I know the place very well after I finish, probably 15 ATM's.  Same old story everywhere, reject any and all transactions, still without money of course, I do however pick up train tickets for the rest of our travels prior to Kathmandu.

I have found that the local shops have amazingly beautiful ceramic door knobs. I don't want to lug them around India, so make a mental note to come here again on our return trip to pick them up begore heading home

The local dairy industry

The centre of old Udaipur

On the phone to both CIBC and TD VISA. It took about 3 hours on the terrible VoIP at the hotel to even get them unblocked. Oh well, trials of travel in foreign climes.
Idiots. So far only $100 from cibc. TD visa cash back, pending me shouting at them

Essentially, we need to budget for no more money till Nepal.

Romantic dinner or what?

It's wonderful here, but we need to add more updates and information to our 2017 travel portfolio, so we are off to Mt. Abu, a 4 hour bus ride away. It's a "Hill Retreat", the highest point in Rajasthan. Maybe a bit cooler.

Only 2 days there, 3 in Jaipur, then up to Kathmandu to meet up with Kayla, and, for us, the highlight of the "plans", a hike through the Himalaya foothills.

Watch this space for future updates folks

From Your Correspondent