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So we arrived in Udaipur last night to another s***ty hotel and had to drive around for ages until we found one that was suitable. That little s***head in Delhi who organised this trip is going to get a piece of my mind! Soon! When I can be arsed to phone that is! Anyway, we ended up a little way out of town at a rather grand hotel in the end, due it still being under renovation and therefore offered at discount prices. The oak floored room was large with a high ceiling and had a massive bay window that over looked the lake in the distance and it had some beautiful dark wood furniture including a king size bed and welcoming crisp white sheets. The landing outside the room then led through a few large rambling spaces that I guess will become restaurants in the future and then up some stairs to the beautiful white and black marble floored roof terraces that had carved arches again overlooking the lake with its beautifully lit up palaces. Yes, good things come to those who wait, albeit impatiently.
After breakfast, served on the lovely roof terrace we were whisked off by Rhotash to see the wonderful sights of Udaipur. I wish we'd stayed at the hotel and admired them from afar! First was the Sahelion - Ki - Bari - garden which during its heyday was used for the entertainment of the royal ladies and their maids of honour. The most beautiful gardens in India apparently. I think the guidebook needs some updating on that one! Jagdesh temple with its grand entrance of stone elephants and steps leading up to its platform of beautifully carved pillars, decorated ceilings, painted walls and sculptured spires was impressive, I must admit, just not as impressive as the magnificent Ranakpur temples we saw yesterday. Moving on to the City Palace, which really was only worth the £1 entrance fee we begrudgingly paid, did have some rather lovely frescoes of peacocks at the end of the long rambling path you're made to follow but the palace on a whole was actually rather unimpressive. Even the lake palace, now a hotel that covers the whole of Jagniwas island and the one featured in Octop**** looked quite box-like and uninspiring. Had we been privileged enough to be able to go inside, it would have been a sight to behold I'm sure, but alas we were not. Looking back I guess we should have done the scenic boat ride on lake Pichola to try and save the day but we opted instead for a couple of kingfishers and a picnic on the sunset roof terrace of our own palace overlooking the ancient Aravalli hills in the distance. For Dan and I, it's always the scenic views and casual moments that make the best memories.
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