We travelled further afield last week, taking Friday off work to enjoy a 3 day trip to Rajasthan. Phil originally planned this weekend as a birthday trip for me in April, though we had to cancel then owing to delay with our move. Better late than never, we rearranged the trip to take place at the end of August.
We left Bandra Terminus at 1130pm on Thursday evening on our first train ride in India; a 14 hour journey from Mumbai to Chittorgarh. The station itself was remarkably calm and ordered though this may have been owing to the late hour. We booked seats in the AC 2-tier coach, which is structured in cabins of six beds on two levels with the corridor running through each one. We both had upper bunks, which required some athleticism to access and looked rather easy to fall from, but we soon settled comfortably and slept well. Basic bedding is provided and the motion of the train makes for pleasant sleeping conditions. The trains move slowly and there are no announcements for the stations, allowing for a good trip but you do have to keep track of time.
I hadn't been looking forward to the toilet facilities, but these weren't too bad in the end, though I'm told that this would be different in a lower class cabin. I never thought I'd say this, but the Indian toilets can actually be better and more hygienic than the western ones, though standing in a room with a big hole in the floor on a moving train is quite unnerving! Point to note though - nowhere except smart restaurants, hotels and airports has loo roll in India. If in doubt, carry your own.
We'd been looking forward to food on the train in the morning but for some reason it wasn't served. Apparently we were unlucky, this almost never happens, but we were very hungry when we arrived in Chittorgarh at 1330 after a breakfast of one biscuit that a fellow passenger kindly gave to us. We had a superb lunch of vegetable samosa, chilli pakora and chapati, all freshly deep fried in a vat of smoking oil. Ironically, this is probably the healthiest food you can have from the street given that bacteria would have to be very strong to survive that cooking process!
Chittor is a relative new town (100 years) set at the foot of a huge and majestic fort which is much older. This was one home to more than 30,000 people though the current population in villages inside the fort is now less than 5000. Phil had arranged for us to stay at a traditional Rajasthan style homestay in a village inside the fort and an autorickshaw was waiting for us at the station to take us up the hill. The best part of the journey was when we stopped outside a school and seven excitable primary school children piled in! They were very lively, wearing smart uniforms and seemingly fearless about hanging on to the back of a bumpy rickshaw. We dropped then off at various points on the way to the village.
The haveli itself was charming, tucked away behind carved wooden doors in the centre of a working village. This small hotel is the home of a family who run the hotel and offer local tours of the area. Parvati and Sudhir were great company and had fantastic English (and French) and excellent knowledge of the local area. The haveli had been renovated a year before with investment from a Swiss couple to ensure that it is now a well-run and supported business, professionally operated. The rooms were lovely; all built by locals and with local material, but with western comforts which are good to have too. It's a great life to see local village life in a relaxing environment.
After enjoying some masala tea and meeting our fellow guests (from Ireland), we set out on a tour of the major sights of the fort with our guide, Parvati. After dropping their (very lively) 6 year-old son off at a relative's house on the way we entered the fort and enjoyed a detailed and informative tour; albeit a very wet one as the monsoon hit hard shortly after we began. The fort is fascinating and I would highly recommend this. The only slightly strange aspect was been trailed by groups of Indians (usually men) who like taking photographs of foreigners, particularly with fair hair. This doesn't feel threatening as such, but is unfamiliar.
Our dinner back at the homestay was excellent; tasty home-cooked Rajasthani food, all vegetarian and fresh from the house kitchen. We feasted royally, though in the dark as the electricity was off in the heavy storm.
Phil cycled round the fort in the early morning light before returning for a breakfast (bananas and Indian pancakes) where we had our first close encounter with a monkey. They are huge, scary and move very quickly! If they come near and want to take something, the best approach is to let them do it.
We travelled to Udaipur by car in Parvati and Sudhir's newly renovated Ambassador; they were very proud that this was manufactured by Hindustan Motors. This was spacious and Parvati kindly bought us a fresh flower garland on the way so we looked like proper tourists! The journey to Udaipur was fairly easy (good roads compared with Mumbai!) and we were in the city by early afternoon.
Udaipur is the City of Lakes. Ruled by a long dynasty of kings, it is structured around seven man-made lakes and adorned with several superb palaces. The James Bond film Octopussy was set here and we were lucky enough to be staying in the hotel contained in the white marble "Lake Palace" built in the 18th century as a "party palace" for one of the princes who had been told that he couldn't hold a party in one of his father's other palaces, so built his own. This was the palace of the ladies in Octopussy and has been a hotel since 1971. It has been preserved in its original condition where possible and is really spectacular in every way. You can only access it by private boat, so even the journey is special.
Our time at the hotel consistent of swimming, a heritage tour of the hotel (finishing in the bar!), a wonderful sunset, watching traditional dancers in the courtyard, and wonderful Indian (and other) food. For the record, Phil managed to get a good deal on this hotel first time round. I've checked the rates for Christmas time and at $3500 a night we won't be coming back then (sorry Mum)!
After relaxing on Sunday morning, we headed back into the town to visit the huge and imposing City Palace (the royal family now lives in only a small part of this building) and spent a touristy afternoon visiting a temple, a local cafe, wandering round the old town, and climbing up a big hill overlooking the city. We managed to get back to the car pick up point just before the heavens opened and avoided getting soaked on the way to the airport.
The sites were great to see, although walking round Udaipur is tiring; not physically, but in terms of the number of touts you have to fend off. It is important to stay calm and patient when you really just want to pin a sign to your back which says "I don't want an auto, I don't want to buy what you are offering and I would rather not have another photograph with you". Saying that, there is no point getting worked up as the only person who will get frustrated is you. I try to always keep in mind the motivations and needs of others for foreigners to buy things but cannot say that I always succeed. The view that everyone is trying to sell you something is wrong though; some people really do just want to stop you for a photo or a friendly chat.
Our slightly delayed flight landed at Mumbai at 1100 and we had a quick journey home after a fab weekend. We will certainly be returning to Rajasthan in the future (next trip planned for Christmas!).
We left Bandra Terminus at 1130pm on Thursday evening on our first train ride in India; a 14 hour journey from Mumbai to Chittorgarh. The station itself was remarkably calm and ordered though this may have been owing to the late hour. We booked seats in the AC 2-tier coach, which is structured in cabins of six beds on two levels with the corridor running through each one. We both had upper bunks, which required some athleticism to access and looked rather easy to fall from, but we soon settled comfortably and slept well. Basic bedding is provided and the motion of the train makes for pleasant sleeping conditions. The trains move slowly and there are no announcements for the stations, allowing for a good trip but you do have to keep track of time.
Settling down for the evening
I hadn't been looking forward to the toilet facilities, but these weren't too bad in the end, though I'm told that this would be different in a lower class cabin. I never thought I'd say this, but the Indian toilets can actually be better and more hygienic than the western ones, though standing in a room with a big hole in the floor on a moving train is quite unnerving! Point to note though - nowhere except smart restaurants, hotels and airports has loo roll in India. If in doubt, carry your own.
Probably best not to speculate about the May infestation
We'd been looking forward to food on the train in the morning but for some reason it wasn't served. Apparently we were unlucky, this almost never happens, but we were very hungry when we arrived in Chittorgarh at 1330 after a breakfast of one biscuit that a fellow passenger kindly gave to us. We had a superb lunch of vegetable samosa, chilli pakora and chapati, all freshly deep fried in a vat of smoking oil. Ironically, this is probably the healthiest food you can have from the street given that bacteria would have to be very strong to survive that cooking process!
Chittor is a relative new town (100 years) set at the foot of a huge and majestic fort which is much older. This was one home to more than 30,000 people though the current population in villages inside the fort is now less than 5000. Phil had arranged for us to stay at a traditional Rajasthan style homestay in a village inside the fort and an autorickshaw was waiting for us at the station to take us up the hill. The best part of the journey was when we stopped outside a school and seven excitable primary school children piled in! They were very lively, wearing smart uniforms and seemingly fearless about hanging on to the back of a bumpy rickshaw. We dropped then off at various points on the way to the village.
The haveli itself was charming, tucked away behind carved wooden doors in the centre of a working village. This small hotel is the home of a family who run the hotel and offer local tours of the area. Parvati and Sudhir were great company and had fantastic English (and French) and excellent knowledge of the local area. The haveli had been renovated a year before with investment from a Swiss couple to ensure that it is now a well-run and supported business, professionally operated. The rooms were lovely; all built by locals and with local material, but with western comforts which are good to have too. It's a great life to see local village life in a relaxing environment.
Room at the Padmini Haveli in Chittorgarh
The mischievous and charming Amit
After enjoying some masala tea and meeting our fellow guests (from Ireland), we set out on a tour of the major sights of the fort with our guide, Parvati. After dropping their (very lively) 6 year-old son off at a relative's house on the way we entered the fort and enjoyed a detailed and informative tour; albeit a very wet one as the monsoon hit hard shortly after we began. The fort is fascinating and I would highly recommend this. The only slightly strange aspect was been trailed by groups of Indians (usually men) who like taking photographs of foreigners, particularly with fair hair. This doesn't feel threatening as such, but is unfamiliar.
Temple carvings
Many monkeys
Our dinner back at the homestay was excellent; tasty home-cooked Rajasthani food, all vegetarian and fresh from the house kitchen. We feasted royally, though in the dark as the electricity was off in the heavy storm.
Phil cycled round the fort in the early morning light before returning for a breakfast (bananas and Indian pancakes) where we had our first close encounter with a monkey. They are huge, scary and move very quickly! If they come near and want to take something, the best approach is to let them do it.
View from the roof of our haveli
View from the bike
Inquisitive cow
Monkey behind barbed wire, where it belongs in my opinion
We travelled to Udaipur by car in Parvati and Sudhir's newly renovated Ambassador; they were very proud that this was manufactured by Hindustan Motors. This was spacious and Parvati kindly bought us a fresh flower garland on the way so we looked like proper tourists! The journey to Udaipur was fairly easy (good roads compared with Mumbai!) and we were in the city by early afternoon.
Car Indian-style
Udaipur is the City of Lakes. Ruled by a long dynasty of kings, it is structured around seven man-made lakes and adorned with several superb palaces. The James Bond film Octopussy was set here and we were lucky enough to be staying in the hotel contained in the white marble "Lake Palace" built in the 18th century as a "party palace" for one of the princes who had been told that he couldn't hold a party in one of his father's other palaces, so built his own. This was the palace of the ladies in Octopussy and has been a hotel since 1971. It has been preserved in its original condition where possible and is really spectacular in every way. You can only access it by private boat, so even the journey is special.
Palace view from the jetty. The lake was particularly high in the monsoon
Lily pond courtyard
Room with a "lake view"
Our time at the hotel consistent of swimming, a heritage tour of the hotel (finishing in the bar!), a wonderful sunset, watching traditional dancers in the courtyard, and wonderful Indian (and other) food. For the record, Phil managed to get a good deal on this hotel first time round. I've checked the rates for Christmas time and at $3500 a night we won't be coming back then (sorry Mum)!
Panoramic sunset
View from the hotel entrance at sunset
After relaxing on Sunday morning, we headed back into the town to visit the huge and imposing City Palace (the royal family now lives in only a small part of this building) and spent a touristy afternoon visiting a temple, a local cafe, wandering round the old town, and climbing up a big hill overlooking the city. We managed to get back to the car pick up point just before the heavens opened and avoided getting soaked on the way to the airport.
The City Palace
View over Udaipur from the hill
The sites were great to see, although walking round Udaipur is tiring; not physically, but in terms of the number of touts you have to fend off. It is important to stay calm and patient when you really just want to pin a sign to your back which says "I don't want an auto, I don't want to buy what you are offering and I would rather not have another photograph with you". Saying that, there is no point getting worked up as the only person who will get frustrated is you. I try to always keep in mind the motivations and needs of others for foreigners to buy things but cannot say that I always succeed. The view that everyone is trying to sell you something is wrong though; some people really do just want to stop you for a photo or a friendly chat.
Our slightly delayed flight landed at Mumbai at 1100 and we had a quick journey home after a fab weekend. We will certainly be returning to Rajasthan in the future (next trip planned for Christmas!).
Chittorgarh Udaipur Tour Packages Rajasthan India
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