Karni Fort Bambora Udaipur

... inviting back-light making the statue stand out like a Maharana overlooking his kingdom.

Although we spent our days exploring the palaces and hotel-restaurants in the greater Udaipur area, it would have been very enjoyable to simply melt away into the opulence of Lake Palace. All manner of cuisine was available around-the-clock, and the hospitality was like nothing I have ever experienced. To sum up the quality of the ...

... my parcel was passed back to me after a long discussion with another clerk (with much arguing and gesturing - completely in Hindi) with the concensus "impossible miss". Lots of head waggling (that uniquely Indian not-a-shake-not-a-nod waggle that seams to mean anything the waggler wants it to mean) but everyone - including the other customers who'd gotten quite involved in the hot discussion - was in agreement that it was "impossible". India Post 2 - Jessica 0.

... Gate, you enter a courtyard where elephant fights were staged until 1951, the year Mewar joined independent India. The oblong depressions on the western side of the courtyard were used to park pachyderms. The Ganesh Deori Gate leads to the Rai Angan, or the royal courtyard. Among the many palace buildings inside is Moti Mahal — ...

... Es el que te sortir del circuit turistic.

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I decide to get out of the traditional tourist circuit and visit the Shekhawati region that lays between Jaipur and Bikaner. It is one of the entry points to the Thar desert, and given its location, the villages in the region benefitted from the caravan trade to / from Jaipur and Delhi, and today it is still possible to visit the rich and lavishly decorated residences, here called ...

... in der sagenhaften Maerchenstadt, die leider unter chronischem Monsun- und daraus folgendem Wassermangel leidet, angekommen.
Trotz der (oben bereits erwaehnten und personell zugeordneten) Umstaende, die die Fahrt einige unnoetige Windungen nehmen liess, kamen wir gluecklich aus unserem Zugabteil, in dem wir (zusammen mit zwei Rieseninsekten (aka. Rucksaecke) und sicherlich noch vielen kleineren ...

... on down the dusty roads snaking away from the familiar surroundings of the town centre; my sights set on the main post office. It must have had something to do with the heat, as looking back at it now it was a bit foolish, but I had a clear vision in my mind of the "Main Post Office": an official establishment that no doubt would be orderly, clean and organised. As the trek wore on and the heat bore down relentlessly, I was now looking forward to entering the ...

Glorious Udaipur, but not quite the same as last time, since the level of water in the lake is considerably lower than last time, and as yet, there are no health problems!! I am staying with Deepak and Meetu and they are the most kind and gracious hosts. It was Deepak who looked after Vivian when he was unwell here last November - hence our friendship. Their house is right next to the ...

... spot a leopard though we did glimpse deer, plenty of rabbits, wild boar and an entire herd of camels. The next day we were in jeeps again, this time heading south two hours to Ranakpur. FYI: "pur" means "village" or "place where people live" - also as in Kuala Lumpur or (the Westernised) Singapore. Our only reason for visiting this tiny town was to see the Jain Temple. Jains, a faith born out of Hinduism after the religion split (300 years before it also ...

... oh and understandibly shee was sweating like crazy! The next morning we had an entirely free day, and we were leaving by overnight traain at 9...so leaving the hotel at 8. we had a good ol sleep in, and lou went to have breakfast with some of the girls from the group tamsin wasnt feeling too well. the poor chef was made to get out of bed! haha, afterward, we went to a german bakery where lou taught the guys how to make a mocha...turned out quite tasty might she add. decided to take ...

... too boring and they move onto whatever they're selling that we most certainly need. We traveled on the big 41 hr train ride to Agra. The first 20 weren't so bad...the next 21 got to be a little uncomfortable. The MEX train from the ship to the lodge, is all the sudden an express train in our book! We spent the day touring the Taj Mahal, which was absolutely breathtaking. It's hard to imagine how something so perfect could have been built so long ago, and ...