Udaipur, India

The Island We Were Staying On In Udaipur, India

Udaipur was the most southerly city that we would be visiting in Rajasthan, and in fact in India all together on this trip. We had debated whether to go as it was a little out of the way, but the promise of a relaxing few days in a quiet city surrounded by lakes sounded too good to pass up and we'd hoped to be able to spend some time in a place without drama as everywhere we'd been so far had included a scam, some sort of altercation or hectic busyness. We arrived at the station and took a tuk tuk to an island on the lake. The island was built up and connected by foot and road bridges, we walked down a dead end street passing some absolutely stunning intricate paintings of elephants on the walls, embellished with shimmering gold paint. The guesthouse was friendly and though our room was small with only a window into a shared living room it was clean and cool. We settled in and then, after a bit of research found Yummy Yoga a short walk away which had great reviews. The owner was super friendly, as it was low season he was pretty happy to have our custom. We sat on a little platform on cushions and ordered our food, while we waited we drank fresh banana milkshakes and played board games. The food was lovely, we agreed we'd come again and then went on a walk to the lakeshore which is a popular spot to watch the sunset. 

A Bridge In Udaipur, India

Pretty Lakeside Buildings In Udaipur, India

The following day we had breakfast on the roof which was included in the price of the room, with a choice of several items it worked out to be really good value and the huge fan pointed in our direction helped with the heat. We left the guesthouse and crossed the pretty lake by foot bridge, after climbing a steep hill we found a beautiful temple. We walked up the steps and removed our shoes, on the outside were intricate carvings, the sunlight shone on them highlighting a few of the decorations. Some locals were sat in the shade of the temple, we ventured inside and saw more carvings though this time they looked more like stone figurines and they were covered in colourful pink and orange pigment. A group of ladies wearing bright sari's were sat on a rug in the middle of the temple, playing instruments and singing. A small boy played a drum with his hands. We left the temple after giving a small donation to the man guarding our shoes and walked on past numerous art shops selling miniature paintings, an art form famous in the city. 

Temple Decorations In Udaipur, India

Elephant Carving In Udaipur, India 

The walked to The City Palace and bought our entry tickets for 300 rupees each. The slope we walked up to gain entry to the palace was original having been found under the modern surface, in times gone by elephants would have carried people up the slope. In the rectangular yard were water fountains, a line of boutique shops and a lush green strip of grass. We found a pretty viewpoint looking out over Udaipur in the shade before walking through the huge doors to the palace. Inside were wall hangings and murals, we were ushered one way round the palace visiting dozens of rooms and courtyards. Inside one room were press clippings for the Richard Attenborough film 'Ghandi' and the glasses that Ben Kingsley wore in the film. There were old weapons, paintings and perfectly preserved plaster decorated rooms. It was like being in a huge maze, each room led to a corridor which led in turn to a tight staircase and then to a courtyard. One of the courtyards I found to be particularly peaceful, I sat on a bench in the quiet amongst the flowers, little birds chirruped and the light shone through colourful stained glass creating beautiful rainbow patterns on the floor. 

Bird Cages In The City Palace In Udaipur, India

The City Palace Interior Decoration In Udaipur, India

After exploring the palace we went to a café which had a roof terrace overlooking the lake. I could see monkeys playfully chasing each other around a monument and tree below, children splashing in the water and a woman washing clothes. It was very peaceful. Afterwards we took a walk to the sunset pier although the sky wasn't as colourful as we'd hoped and another tourist was flying his drone over the lake, footage from drones is always pretty impressive though when you're there it is extremely loud and annoying! We had dinner at Yummy Yoga as it had been so lovely the day before and the guy running it was so friendly. 

Walk Around Town In Udaipur, India

View From The Café In Udaipur, India

Our second day in Udaipur was an extremely chilled out one. We went for a walk in the town, passing shops selling trinkets and the miniature paintings. Craig bought himself some loose and light trousers in bright shades of red and green to help keep cool, we were still finding the Indian heat hard to bear although our slow paced days and air conditioned rooms were helping. We went back to the rooftop café and sat for a couple of hours, the slight breeze, lake views and peacefulness made it feel like we were on a relaxing holiday rather than a backpacking trip. I sketched the view for a couple of hours before it was time to leave. We ate dinner at a different restaurant which had views of the twinkling lights on the lake. We stopped by Yummy Yoga on the way back to the guesthouse to see if they'd be open early for breakfast as we'd be leaving for a bus in the morning. The lovely owner said he'd open especially for us which was so kind. As we stood talking to him I felt a nudge from behind, it was cow which rubbed its head on me like a cat would. I thought how sweet and affectionate but actually it probably just had an itch it wanted to scratch. 

At last we'd found a place with no drama, Udaipur had lived up to what we'd hoped it would be and we were so glad we decided to include it in our Indian adventure. 

Onwards to Jodhpur! 

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Have you been to Udaipur? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

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Pushkar, India

Still reeling from the horrible experience leaving Jaipur we arrived in Ajmer, a town with the closest train station to Pushkar, a spiritual place sacred to the Hindu community surrounding a lake and our next destination. Ajmer was hot, dusty and busy. We left the station, crossed the road and waited for a local bus, we seemed to be waiting for ages in the intense heat and polluted air. I noticed men staring which became uncomfortable, I hid my face from the attention and dust with my scarf. Eventually we tagged on to a local man who was in need of the same bus, when the right one came along we ran towards it with him and jumped on. The bus trundled the thirty minute journey towards Pushkar before stopping on a dusty road where we alighted and moved to a shared tuk tuk which stopped a few minutes walk from our pre-booked guesthouse. The guesthouse was sweet, our room was lovely and big, with decoratively painted walls and a huge four poster bed. It certainly felt a lot nicer than the last place that we had been. We had a chat with the owner, a young and friendly man who showed us to the amazing roof terrace. There were rows and rows of potted plants, quaint tables with wicker chairs and outstanding views across the rooftops and surrounding hills of Pushkar. 

A Vision In Pink, Local Women Shop In Pushkar, India

Rooftops And The Holy Lake In Pushkar, India

We took a walk down the narrow alleyways to the main bazaar to find somewhere to eat. Cows lined the streets, some were stood in the entrance to homes and shops. The main bazaar was a bright assortment of treats, colourful jewellery, sparkling sequinned bags, handmade paper notebooks, gold trinkets and rails and rails of elephant print clothes. It was a souvenir buyers dream. We found a restaurant and sat upstairs to eat but it was stiflingly hot, the food wasn't up to much either. All in all it had been a pretty disastrous day, we hoped that a couple of relaxed days in Pushkar would lighten our mood.

A Pushkar Street Scene From Above, India 

A Local Man Makes Fresh Sugar Cane Juice In Pushkar, India

We had breakfast down at the bazaar at a café on a crossroads which made a perfect position for people and cow watching. There seemed to be more cows wandering around here than anywhere that we had been so far, they liked to wander as slowly as possible, getting in everybody's way. As the streets of Pushkar are so narrow there were very few cars, mostly motorbikes weaved about. After breakfast we walked down to see the holy lake, we removed our shoes and ended up being separated to take part in a prayer ceremony. Not wanting to be rude we went along with it. We were each seated with a priest at the lake edge and given a handful of dried petals to throw into the lake and asked to repeat prayers, blessing and asking for protection for our family members. It all seemed like a lovely and fun experience until it got down to the 'donation'. After wrapping red and yellow string around my wrist I was told that I needed to donate an amount for each member of my family, and not in rupees but in pounds. Apparently you state the donation amount based on your home currency, when I stated £1 per family member equalling a £4 donation the priest urged for more, 500 rupees was his minimum. £4 was around 350 rupees and in my mind more than generous, to give context 500 rupees was more than what Craig and I would usually spend on dinner for the both of us. From the corner of my eye I could see that Craig had stood up and started walking away from his priest mid-ceremony, refusing to give the donation his priest suggested. My priest tried making me promise to give 500 rupees in a clear manipulation, suggesting that the prayers made for my family wouldn't work without giving this inflated amount. We left 200 rupees from both of us, an amount that neither priest was happy with. I wished we'd just put the money in the lake donation box rather than give to the two men, of course the whole thing felt like a scam. Rather than feel annoyed I was actually ok with it, the experience of prayer had been interesting at least and we weren't tricked into giving more than we were happy with in the end. Craig wasn't so happy, but again, another lesson learned. 

From The Top Of The Hill Overlooking Pushkar Surrounding A Holy Lake In India

We took a walk through the markets where I bought two more pairs of elephant print trousers and Craig bought a sugar cane juice which was squeezed in a press right in front of us. We had dinner at a pizza restaurant to have a break from local cuisine and it was amazing, we sat on cushions on the floor and shared a pesto pizza, with a crispy base and mouthwatering tomato sauce.

The next day we had breakfast on the roof terrace and the guesthouse owner explained how we could visit the top of one of the locals hills that we could see. We walked through the town to the outskirts, past camels towards a cable car. For just a few rupees we whizzed to the top in our own little cable car surveying the brown and yellow desert-like environment. At the top of the hill was a temple, home to lots of monkeys. We were asked to be in a 'family photo' with some children, something we still find baffling. The panoramic views from the temple were amazing and the cool breeze cut through the hot Rajasthan air. The temple itself was tiny and so it didn't take long to see everything there was to see. We returned to ground level and caught a tuk tuk to a café on the lake where we enjoyed a peaceful hour with refreshing drinks looking out over the water, where the elderly bathed and children splashed. 

Three Monkeys At A Temple In Pushkar, India

The Best Of Friends, A Dog And Cow In Pushkar, India

We couldn't resist another trip to the pizza restaurant as it had been so good and it didn't disappoint the second time. As we were leaving a thunderstorm rolled in and we were caught in a downpour, we started running through the narrow streets in the heavy rain, trying hard not to slip on the numerous cow pats that dotted the path, locals cheered us on as they sheltered in doorways. We made it back to our cosy guesthouse safe but soggy for our last night, it had been a relatively chilled out couple of days, the pizza and delightful markets had made Pushkar a welcome stop in the end. 

Onwards to Udaipur, the furthest south we would be going on our 60 days in India. 

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Have you been to Pushkar? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

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Jaipur, India

Bright Indian Dress and The Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

We arrived in the Pink City of Jaipur on May 16th by train, a much more comfortable experience than the one we endured from Delhi to Agra. Our small hotel was a few minutes walk from the station, upon arrival we found our accommodation to be a little bit dire, the air conditioning wasn't working so we switched rooms, even so the squat toilet and lack of water in the bathroom indicated to me that our stay would not be a pleasant one. The next day we ventured out to Jantar Mantar a place of science founded in 1728. Jantar Mantar means instrument of calculation, there were a variety of instruments dotted around which looked like sculptures but were in fact used to calculate the time and date. 

Sat under the shade of a tree with tiny vibrant green leaves we heard the continuous beeping noise from traffic outside the complex walls, chipmunks tussled on the patchy grass and sweet little birds hopped around looking for morsels of food. 

An Instrument of Science at Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, India

Quiet Time in Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, India

After, we went to an Indian coffee house for an authentic local lunch, the waiter was wearing a rather unique hat and while service was not overwhelmingly friendly the food was good and the experience felt off the beaten track.

The next day we went to see the Amber Fort which situated just outside the city was the main reason we wanted to visit Jaipur. We took a tuk tuk there, the fort was perched high on a hill and looked very imposing and impressive. The walls of the fort snaked across the landscape which reminded me somewhat of a miniature version of The Great Wall of China. We climbed the steep slope to the fort, many tourists take elephants to mimic the feeling of being an Indian maharaja though for ethical reasons we decided against it. To our surprise and delight we learned that entry was free just for today, with the entrance fee saved we decided to hire a guide to make the most of the visit. Our lovely guide, a friendly local chap took us inside the fort gates where I was given a beautifully perfumed rose and we were both given a bindi which is a small dot of red pigment placed on the forehead. 

Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

The Leafy Courtyard in Amber Fort, Jaipur in India

The fort was truly a place of beauty. The decoration was so delicate, paintings and jewels adorned the walls. There was an area covered in hundreds of mirror shards reflecting light and colourful reflections all around. Mysterious passages led here, there and everywhere, many of which we walked through to visit a different nook, balcony or room. Our guide showed us the ancient water system comprised of pulleys and wells, inside a huge well were hundreds of sleeping bats. The views from the fort were wonderful, and the mixture of art, landscape and friendly guide led me to state that this was my favourite place that we had seen in India so far. After our very informative tour we said farewell to our guide and after a break in the shade wandered back around the fort for some more photographs. We came across the German family that we had seen in a café in Agra and stopped for a chat before heading back to the tuk tuk stand where we had to haggle very hard for a good price, even resorting to the 'turn and walk away' tactic to get a fair deal. 

Interior Garden at Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

The Amber Fort Walls Snake Across The Hills in Jaipur, India

Craig had found a restaurant called Natraj whilst doing research so we went there for lunch. We hadn't realised just how nice the restaurant was until we went inside, it was elegantly decorated and waiters were on stand by to attend to every whim. Of course, such service was reflected in the price but as we were already seated we decided to treat ourselves and stay. After a delicious lunch we were given sugar and aniseed with our bill, a simple treat which satisfied our sweet tooth cravings. 

An Ancient Water System and Sleeping Bats at Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

Interior Carvings at Amber Fort in Jaipur, India 

The next day we packed to leave and endured quite an ordeal, possibly our worst experience whilst travelling. When it came to settle the bill there was a dispute. Craig had already paid the manager for the first night as well as the breakfasts and dinners that we'd ordered as room service. With no manager around we received a leaving bill higher than expected and asked to speak to the manager just to clarify as it had not been itemised. The two guys at reception kept laughing at our request to speak to the manager and refused which left us in a predicament. Our train was scheduled to leave shortly and we weren't sure what to do. There was obviously a bit of a language barrier, as the minutes passed their unwillingness to get a manager left us frustrated and so we offered to pay what we thought was owed and email the manager afterwards to settle the dispute. Craig put down the money, a few rupees short of the bill and tried to leave, they grabbed at his arm and bag and I started to panic as they were getting aggressive. We managed to leave the hotel and walk down the street, they both chased after us, waving the bill in our faces, shouting at anyone who would listen. As somebody who hates confrontation I was surprised to find that I shouted back when one of the men forcibly grabbed my arm. A tuk tuk driver passed and we jumped on to drive the few minutes down the road to the station, my heart was pounding. As we boarded the train I felt anxious, would they come looking for us? I felt awful, it looked as though we had done a runner without paying. A mixture of confusion on both parts about the bill, our panic at missing the train and their unwillingness to get the manager to clarify had led to a horrible situation where I really thought they might hurt us. After thinking about the situation for hours as we travelled on to Pushkar I suddenly remembered that we had ordered some food on room service after Craig had paid the manager meaning that we did indeed owe a few rupees more. I burst in to tears upon realising that we were wrong. Their actions were still uncalled for, but with hindsight why hadn't we just paid the money and been done with it? We emailed the manager of the hotel and the booking site we'd gone through to explain what had happened and didn't receive a reply from either. It had been a hard lesson learned, always take note of money paid and have proof, don't try and settle a bill on check out while in a hurry and if required, just pay what's asked even if you think you don't owe it if it means avoiding an intimidating situation. 

Craig and I at The Amber Fort in Jaipur, India

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Have you been to Jaipur? If so, what did you think? Maybe you're planning a trip? I've got tonnes of advice and tips I can share. Let me know in the comments below. 

If you enjoyed reading then please click the heart at the bottom, share or better still leave me a comment, I love reading them.

[If you are receiving this via email firstly thank you for subscribing! Secondly please click 'read in browser' to leave a comment and click the heart if you would like to. If you're not subscribed and would like to be, head to the contact page and leave your email.]