Two Days in Udaipur

What a difference a day makes, Rode the night train to Udaipur from Jaipur on the top side bunk of a 3A sleeper car - cramped experience but surprisingly comfortable as one backpack ended up as a pillow while the other kept my legs in one position all night. Slept well and did not wake on arrival at the station!! Luckily one of the fellow passengers on leaving the train gave me a nudge - I was the last one on the train!!

The streets of Udaipur and narrow and as all old towns with open sewer channels and random corners crammed full of shops, but here, unlike Jaipur, the traders are not pushy and have time to talk about work and life in general. The city lives up to its name as the white city and is romantic.

My hotel 'Krishna Niwas' is outstanding with caring staff and lovely rooms. My one is on the 3rd floor and has a view of the lake palace from the window - simply wonderful. As for the food it is a pleasure to take breakfast on the rooftop every morning with a healthy mix of porridge, pancakes and toast with the obligatory coffee.

Udaipur has a lot to offer the traveller - Spectacular views of palaces on the lake, rooftop restaurants which will show 'Octopussy' on request as part of the film was shot here :) If you have the chance visit to classic car exhibition as not only does it house the Octopussy film Rolls Royce but it also has a mint collection of cars all housed in individual garages - the guides take real pride in showing these wonderful and somehow charming vehicles to the few tourists who come and for 150r you also have a Thali thrown in :)

For a truly romantic and royal experience you can take high/afternoon tea at the City Palace complex. I went at 2.30pm (opens at 3...) and found that for 25r i was able to walk through to the amazingly furnished hotel at the back of the site. You enter through a doorwat into a pallacial ball room with tables and chairs lined out for dinner. It is quiet and opulent with HUGE chandeliers, wooden tables covered with gold place matts/napkins and Huge mirrors reflect the light. Walking through onto the terrace area (with views of the lake and palace) you are met by a waiter wearing and orange turban and immaculate uniform who descreetly passes you the menu and asks whether you would like tea... Well looking quickly at the menu i selected a recommendation from a couple of ladies i met last night and went for 'Afternoon tea'. This ended up being a 3 tier silver tray with: layer one, a sliced toasted sandwich, chips and ketchup, Bruchetta with tomato and Bruchetta with coleslaw. Tier 2, had 4 slices of cake and a large scone with cream and jam :) and finally Tier 3 had 4 delicious biscuits. All these came with Darjeeling tea and the whole thing was devine :) If you miss doing this you have missed a highlight that i will never forget.

There is also a French style restaurant here called 'Ambrai' which is a pleasure to sit and have lunch/dinner in as it has a fantastic setting under a tree with soil underfoot and iron work chairs - reminded me of eating at cafe's in Paris :) But this one has views of the lake Palace...

Finally the City Palace Museum is also worth a visit, but if you are going to go make sure that you hire a guide - I was going to avoid one, but in the end took one for 150r and he was fantastic value really bringing the artifacts and sites to life with things that i would not have seen on my own.

Overall, Udaipur has been a real relief after the madness of Jaipur and i would love to stay here longer as it truly is a magical, romantic city which gleams white in the sun - You could easily spend a week here. But i am due to travel to Varanassi tomorrow...