With excitement being too much to bare for our journey to Udaipur, I think we jinxed it. Anna ended up falling very ill Friday evening, just hours before we were set to leave for the train. It took me a while to decide if I would go, as I wanted to be there for Anna and nurse her back to health, but a part of me was really just screaming 'Udaipur'. So, I listened to my gut. I packed my bag at 5:30am and flagged down a tuk tuk on the main road.
I boarded the train with sleepy eyes at a very loud 6:45am at Jaipur Junction railway station. It was hard to sleep as I had purchased a second class ticket, which is just seats in a box car with open windows and a lot of people crammed into a small space. But, it was cheap! It was really a lose-win situation: the heat was so uncomfortable but the view was phenomenal. For 7 hours, I watched as the dry land turned into forests, then into deserts. Women and men worked in the fields completely covered head to toe, as buffalo, cows and goats roamed. But most were sprawled out under whatever shelter they could find, away from the sun's harsh rays.
I arrived in Udaipur at 1:30pm. I had spent a little bit of time looking up which guesthouse to stay in, in my Lonely Planet Rajasthan book, and thought I'd wing it with an option a fellow traveller had recommended. I asked a few tuk tuk drivers to take me to the Dream Heaven Guesthouse, but of course with my luck, not a single one knew what I was saying either in Hindi or English. Fortunately, a random man approached me and told me he knew where it was as his friend worked there. So there I was, sitting up on the back of a moto in India. It was freaking awesome. The streets of Udaipur are extremely small and curvy, it was such a blast to zip through them passing all the markets along the way.
I spent the day roaming the streets, amazed at everything I set my eyes on. From the beautiful sparkle of Lake Pichola, to the breath taking views looking out onto Udaipur from the City Palace. I sat and had chai with locals, and watched boats in the distance while walking across the Daiji Footbridge. I ended up playing a very bad game of Cricket with some local kids. I definitely embarrassed myself. I will blame it on the fact that I actually have no idea how to play Cricket...
When night falls, the view of the City Palace from the rooftop restaurants of Udaipur is indescribable. Again, my photos will never do it justice. It's just the most beautiful thing. Sitting high above the rest of the city, it's definitely a sight for sore eyes.
Before heading to the train, I caught a 7:00pm show at the Bagore Ki Haveli, where I watched performances of traditional Rajasthani dances, music ensembles and puppet shows. The show ended with a lady dancing with 10 pots on her head while stepping on broken glass. Everyone gave a standing ovation. How could you not?
I boarded the train at 10:15pm. I ran into a friend I had had chai with the previous day. We talked about his family life and how his parents are on a serious hunt to find him a wife. I could tell he was unhappy about it. He said he had been in love twice but the first, his family would have never approved of because she wasn't in the same caste, and the second, just didn't work out. I can't imagine not being able to marry for love. Love can't be forced. It has to come natural. Your gut has to tell you it's real and you have to feel it in every inch of your body.
I thought about this a lot on the train ride home. I know it is obviously part of the culture here in India, but for some reason it stills saddens me. Maybe one day more people will open their minds to the possibility of real love...
As I practised my Hindi, the train trekked into the dark of night. I let out a sigh, relieved that I had followed that tiny voice inside me screaming 'Udaipur'. Now I will never have to regret making one of the best decisions of my entire trip.
Jazz