Sardargarh Heritage Hotel Udaipur

... who would be our butler for the duration of the stay. After a short tour, we made our way to our room where we completed the check-in process in comfort and privacy. That was a nice touch. <br><br> The room was not overly large, but the architecture was stunning. Marble was the primary material and had been carved into vaulted ceilings and cusped arches with inland stones of pink and green. The room was lavishly yet ...

... br>Pichola Lake<br>The final stage of the tour consists of a ferry ride around Lake Pichola with a stopover at Jagmandir Island Palace. The dome of the Gol Mahal in Jagmandir is touted as having influenced the design of the Taj Mahal. However, what the Jagmandir Island Palace proves is that the Rajputs had an excellent feel for location. The ...

... quan no ruinos. Es una India en estat mes salvatge, sense les comoditats que te visitar el Rajastan a on sempre hi ha quelcom orientat al turista, on encara es possible apreciar el dia a dia del pais, i meravellar-se al veure com malgrat el caos que envolta qualsevol tasca, tot acaba per funcionar. Pero tambe es una visita que demana pagar un peatge forca elevat, ja que al no haver-hi gaires turistes has d'acabar fent com fa la poblacio local, i aixo ...

... temple, flanked by 29 halls, were supported by 1,444 highly carved and decorated pillars (all totally different and one deliberately not vertical)! The whole place looked amazing &#8211; really, really impressive! We&#8217;d had to leave our shoes and all leather goods outside the temple (Jains totally oppose the killing of any animal or creature) and cover our heads, before engaging the services of a young Jain devotee. Altho&#8217; still at school, he stays in the ...

... warm morning turns to and unacceptable hot afternoon. Glad that we have our own personal oasis to return to, we arrange to meet Rampal at 7 PM for the trip to the Sajjan Garh monsoon palace on the outskirts of the city. Rampal arrives on time and we head out of town and up the hill to the Sajjan Garh Palace. This palace is built on the top of a hill, more than 1,000 higher than the city. Maharana Sajjan Singh built the ...

... danced with eight pots on her head. I just can't get past that. Eight! On her head! Man, hand me an overpriced local delicacy and an extremely authentic completely handcrafted local carpet, and I'm in heaven. We had our first dinner out on our own at a restaurant called the Whistling Teal, of which I took about seventy two pictures, which will inevitably end up as part of kitchy gifts to several uncles, and at least five years worth of cards for my sister.

... and I have to say that I am much happier coming to hospital in Udaipur this time than last time, since my visit is stress free!! Deepak has arranged for me to visit some really spectacular sights including the Monsoon Palace (see the views in the photos!), and some of the little-visited lakes outside the city, where the bird life is just amazing. You all know me and my birds ...

... and regardless of what cousin Ian says, the Toolshed is not a place where you go to pick up a hammer. ROUGHING-IT REVELATION: Yes, just like every overly-laden backpacker before us, we have realised that you do wear the same clothes every day, but only because it's easier than unzipping your pack. These days, "dressing up" means putting on cargo pants, the cleanest t-shirts we have and our good thongs. THUMBS UP: 1. The scarf that Laura bought Caroline ...

... like seven security check-points! ahahahahhahaha I tell you this is just to keep the people in employment and you must see the faces, very blank - I summise that it's because they are bored, really nothing to do except stand around. We finally arrived at the ramps. The surrounding gardens were gorgeous, there was nobody around, and the morning was cool and beautiful. At times like this, I have to ask myself "Are we really in India, still?". The ride on the lake ...

These two days were odd, and made me realise the mixed feelings that India can inspire. One minute I hate it and want to leave, and its possible to literally turn a corner and love it again. There doesn't seem to be any in-between. The train was fine in the end, woke up a couple of times, once thinking that we'd crashed cos there was such a loud bang and the brakes were hammered on, but we probably just hit a cow or something. Not unusual. Nawalgarh is a lovely place - we had ...