November 13th, 2012
!!! HAPPY DIWALI !!!
Firecrackers going off every instant. One small BANG, two BIG bangs . . . BANG BANG. I jump in my skin every time even though I know they are coming. Crackling crackers shimmer in the distant sky. What seems like a powerful canon going off is another firework echoing its gunpowder of fire!
Diwali is being celebrated in India, and in particular Udaipur, Rakasthan. I arrived here this morning after a weary overnight journey from Mumbai. Crammed into a tiny sleeper I took the 14 hour bus journey up to Rajasthan. I felt the need to get away from the city to get time and space for myself. Well my choice to leave the city was an excellent one. Udaipur is stunning! Palaces mark the city hilltops and are mirrored in the river dividing the town. It is a ancient paradise with much romance and charm.
Truth be told I had been second guessing my choice to come here. I originally had wanted to head to Jodhpur and see the blue city. However no direct buses were available and I wasn’t willing to shell out the extra Rupees to go by train during a holiday period. Transportation costs rise 75% during the holidays. Lonely Planet had said that Udaipur was a city of romance, again another reason I wasn’t too enthralled as I had been feeling a bit jaded in the romance department. I didn’t need a reminder, and by reminder I mean a kick to the teeth, about how in love everyone is! So after the uncomfortable hole of a sleeper car I arrived in Udaipur, which still seemed less than what I could hope for.
The town seemed dusty, dirty, and, well, a drag. Not too thrilled. I had picked up a flyer for a cheap hotel in Udaipur while I was in Mumbai. A rickshaw driver was more than happy to take me there. As we drove in his tuktuk he asked where I was from. Then passed me a leather bound journal of all the tourists he had shown around Udaipur. The comments were endless and all rave reviews. As I read more and more he started telling me about the properties he owns. They both sounded incredible and far better than the inexpensive dorm room I was about to subject myself to at the Mewar Inn. After careful consideration paying 200 more Rupees a night for my own room with private bath, right downtown seemed like a far better choice. So I let Jaimal drive me to his hotel.
Again, the far better choice. This city is enchanting. It is not a romantic city, perhaps the way one would think France to be. But the city itself romances you. As you drive through the crowded streets you feel happy and warm as if you have the love bug. You get kind of giddy and silly and you are not quite sure why. You just feel great and are happy to be feeling this way. As you wind around narrow bends and curvy streets you soon come upon palace after beautiful palace. WOW ! What a sight to see! Driving over the main bridge that dissects the city the riverside is embanked with architecturally stunning buildings. It is a paradise. You feel entirely charmed by this city. Just like that, BANG, you are in love. The city lives up to its reputation and you are head over heels in the midst of it! Diwali provides the celebratory backdrop for your new found love interest ;)
!!! HAPPY DIWALI !!!
Firecrackers going off every instant. One small BANG, two BIG bangs . . . BANG BANG. I jump in my skin every time even though I know they are coming. Crackling crackers shimmer in the distant sky. What seems like a powerful canon going off is another firework echoing its gunpowder of fire!
Diwali is being celebrated in India, and in particular Udaipur, Rakasthan. I arrived here this morning after a weary overnight journey from Mumbai. Crammed into a tiny sleeper I took the 14 hour bus journey up to Rajasthan. I felt the need to get away from the city to get time and space for myself. Well my choice to leave the city was an excellent one. Udaipur is stunning! Palaces mark the city hilltops and are mirrored in the river dividing the town. It is a ancient paradise with much romance and charm.
Truth be told I had been second guessing my choice to come here. I originally had wanted to head to Jodhpur and see the blue city. However no direct buses were available and I wasn’t willing to shell out the extra Rupees to go by train during a holiday period. Transportation costs rise 75% during the holidays. Lonely Planet had said that Udaipur was a city of romance, again another reason I wasn’t too enthralled as I had been feeling a bit jaded in the romance department. I didn’t need a reminder, and by reminder I mean a kick to the teeth, about how in love everyone is! So after the uncomfortable hole of a sleeper car I arrived in Udaipur, which still seemed less than what I could hope for.
The town seemed dusty, dirty, and, well, a drag. Not too thrilled. I had picked up a flyer for a cheap hotel in Udaipur while I was in Mumbai. A rickshaw driver was more than happy to take me there. As we drove in his tuktuk he asked where I was from. Then passed me a leather bound journal of all the tourists he had shown around Udaipur. The comments were endless and all rave reviews. As I read more and more he started telling me about the properties he owns. They both sounded incredible and far better than the inexpensive dorm room I was about to subject myself to at the Mewar Inn. After careful consideration paying 200 more Rupees a night for my own room with private bath, right downtown seemed like a far better choice. So I let Jaimal drive me to his hotel.
Again, the far better choice. This city is enchanting. It is not a romantic city, perhaps the way one would think France to be. But the city itself romances you. As you drive through the crowded streets you feel happy and warm as if you have the love bug. You get kind of giddy and silly and you are not quite sure why. You just feel great and are happy to be feeling this way. As you wind around narrow bends and curvy streets you soon come upon palace after beautiful palace. WOW ! What a sight to see! Driving over the main bridge that dissects the city the riverside is embanked with architecturally stunning buildings. It is a paradise. You feel entirely charmed by this city. Just like that, BANG, you are in love. The city lives up to its reputation and you are head over heels in the midst of it! Diwali provides the celebratory backdrop for your new found love interest ;)
Loving reading this Steph! Yes, Udaipur is great—Rajahstan in general. Definitely try to make it to Jodhpur (where be sure not to miss the famous and amazing malai lassi's from the shop in the clock tower!) and Jaisalmer (a great place to stay is the Shanti Lodge inside the Fort). How long are you staying in India? Where are you planning on going after Rajahstan? One place I'd really recommend, one of my favorite places in all of India, is a small town on the coast just south of Goa called Gokarna. So idyllic: multiple amazing beaches, a Hindu pilgrimage town and super cheap. I stayed at a really nice place called Flower Garden on the main town beach (the other beaches are nice to visit but they're more popular and mean you have quite a trek if you want to head into the town) and was paying 150 rupees a night for a basic room. Take care and have fun!
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