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Published: January 26th 2008
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More vicious monkeys! This time hungry ones at Pushkar hill temple! Nowhere near as friendly as they look. Hello everyone, coming to you from a small attic cyber cafe in Mumbai. It is allegedly a 'computer business centre' 😊
Since our last update in Pushkar, we had a few more days of relaxed enjoyment at Hotel Aroma with our host Pappu and then moved on to Udaipur. We took the train from Ajmer (which is over the hill from Pushar), which we eventually found on platform 4 despite every sign and official telling us that it was on 1 or 2! Still gave Sar the chance to get our first Indian ice cream, a re-frozen/re-formed cornetto chocolate mess, but for 20p who is complaining, tasted pretty similar to a 'real' one.
Went AC chair class this time which was OK seeing as the train was nearly empty (a rareity over here) I had a indian Railways meal for 50p which was blindingly hot but quite nice, extremely messy to eat and not for the first time our travel sporks came in use!
Though the hotel booking for Hotel Panorama in Udaipur was in the most pigeon english ever they sent a runner to meet us at the (late) train station at about 11 at night, he
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View of amazing sunset at Pushkar from Babas Cafe! must have been waiting there for hours and greeted us with smiles and a comical paper sign saying 'Welcome to Udaipur Mr Holland!' he was really nice and we jumped in his brothers (?) auto rickshaw that took us to the hotel. Put simply the roof top restaurant/terrace was really pretty at night and had a great view of the lake and palace etc especially considering the 6 pounds a night price tag!
Udaipur was great, like a bigger and better version of pushkar. This was mader even better by the fact that there was a great Muslim festival taking place right near our hotel. On the first day we wandered into the festival by accident following sound of drums (see pic, also have great vid for you when we get home, sound is the best part! not easy to film!!) later on the same day we went to see one of the main temples and on our way out we found all the streets were crowding up ready for the main event so got a nice seat at a rooftop cafe and watched the 'floats' go by. We had THE BEST seats in town, all the locals shortly
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Another one, it was that nice! followed as every rooftop, ledge and shop doorway was packed to the gills (see pic). Though we didnt know what was actually going on it turned out to be really special (if somewhat chilly with out our fleeces!).
In Udaipur we found the most amazing restaurant right by our hotel, it was on the top of a big palace like luxury hotel complete with swimming pool for the daytime, live relaxing indian music and plenty of white marble! It was really nicely lit with candles and such and even had those gas patio heaters. Sar went for the Chicken Tikka Butter Masala which was the best curry she has ever had, followed by the best brownie ever too, and she knows a thing or two about puddings! I had the Mutton Ragput or something which you guessed it was amazing and so was my weird cheesy deep fried dohnut pudding ball things (much much nicer than it sounds!) We washed it down with some nice cold Kingfishers and Cobra and a firework display over the lake bang on cue as they served the main course! Awesome!
We also visited the Udaipur palace which was pretty good and
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Best value room yet at Panorma in Udaipur. Check out the view! worth a nice afternnons stroll around. On our last day we splashed out on our own driver/guide and car to do a day trip to the fort at Chittorgarh. It was really impressive and the history was actually worth hearing about. Basically anytime it was invaded if they faced defeat all the men rode out on horses to die and the women and children all commited mass suicide in their thousands rather than face defeat, quite moving. All made amusing by our guide whose speedy receital of the history had us both giggling.
As with the cows we have made another weird discovery. PHOTOS. Now you see it in the guidebook but you dont expect it to actually happen, at this fort for nearly the tenth time we were both commandeered to have our photo taken with random indian tourists. Not on our camera no! This is photos with them for them to take home! Its so odd, you cant say no as they are so exited and genuine (except my one in Agra with the he/she, less said the better). Sars one with the creepy old man at the fort was the funnyest though, im sure it will
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View of Udaipur palace accross the lake in the evening. take pride of place on the wall at his house! In Jaipur our photo opp lasted about five miutes as we had to even do individual photos with each person (yes they formed a que) any way hilariously odd but harmless fun.
From Udaipur we got a coach to Ahedmabad (spelling!). Lets just say it was abit of a five hour white knuckle ride, who needs alton towers. A'bad is a really odd place, we werent to keen to be honest and only stopped over for one night to break up the journey to Mumbai. It has some serious traffic/pollution problems but we did land on our feet as the Hotel Mooti Mahals restaurant was great, and clean! There was also a great french style cake shop a few doors down which was really cheap! Yom yom we ate well that day!
Got the first class shatabi train from A'bad into Mumbai which was really nice, as before we were fed and watered continuously and even had LCD tv screens, listen and learn Virgin Trains! Though the tvs only showed random hindi music videos and indian versions of trinny and susanah.
Mumbai is mad, on the first
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The Great restaurant in Udaipur! day we decided to go by the guidebook and started off at the Mumbai CST station. It is as huge as they say (largest station in Asia) and then went to crawford market (not that special after the shopping in pushkar). Then the taxi saga began! To cut a long story short we spent best part of an hour being driven around Mumbai by the wolly of a taxi driver who despite telling us he knew where the tank place was clearly had no idea at all, and thought hed rip us off blindly. Despite the meter reading 80/90 odd Rupees he demanded 200. Now we were pretty annoyed by now as we knew it had allready been a shambles and basically 10 minutes later and a small crowd of locals telling him off we ended up giving him 110 to get on with our day. To say that the taxis here are a nightmare would be an understatement. There are 64,000 of them though! Weve walked everywhere since and took a particularily nice walk along Chowpatty beach, however.......
Sar has been struck down!!!!! The delly belly has finally arrived! And at the worst possible time too as the
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The Restaurants swimming pool, check out the alcoves! hotel we are staying at its best is a smelly dump with skanky shared bathrooms and a bucket for a shower. To say sar was feeling rough yesterday would be an understatement. She had horrible stomach cramps and frequenbt toilet trips all day (and NIGHT she says!!!!) and no food to boot! She was feeling pretty darn sorry for herself and wanted her own bed and loo! Feeling a bit better today though only just back onto plainish bready foods. Managed a ham subway earlyer today though, so things are looking up. Needless to say she was not exactly amused as I sat there drinking kingfishers and eatling chicken kebabs and ice creams from the great street sellers here. She didnt belive me telling her they were all horrible!
We have found a great coffee shop called Barrista though which is just around the corner and puts Starbucks to shame.
We are heading off into bats country tomorrow and the coast at last! Sars face is all smiles (well nearly, toiltes a bit far away!) We are heading out by train then bus then autorickshaw to a small beach place called Guantipole on the Konkan Coast. Really looking
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Udaipur festival madness forward to some space, fresh air and a good swim. May even see some dolphins/turtles if we are lucky. Think facilities will be a bit limited so probably wont update this again until we reach Goa (its a tough life!) Should be about a week to ten days.
Sar says that she will call home coming sunday at 2pm your time so clare/simon be there or be square! Forgive us if we dont work out the time difference correctly or if the phones are down but that is the intention.
Enjoy the (many) photos attatched and we will be in touch soon. Missing you all loads and wishig you were here!!!
Lots of love,
Dean and Sar.
x
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