Trip 4 Day 14 Udaipur

I reached Udaipur by 5 am stepped down from the bus at Chetak Chowk. Till last night I'd no confirm stay in Udaipur.

Suddenly just before boarding to the bus, I got a call from a travelling community guy named Digvijay.

He informed me to reach his place. If there would be no stay in Udaipur I'd have chosen hostel for a day only and leaving to another destination.

I tried for hitchhiking early morning, but traffic was not that much and whosoever was passing through was not in the mood to stop.

So I started walking to his place. The street lights were not switched on. I reached a point where I've to turn on the mobile torch to see the where the road heading towards.

Finally, I reached his room, I called him and he came out to pick, the time is 5:30 by now. I was tired while on the journey.

There is a total of three people in the big room now including his elder brother. I slept at the corner of the room. 

Digvijay has already informed me about his departure from home 🏡 at 8 am. He quickly got ready and woke me up at 7:30.

I took a complete half an hour to get everything done and that is the quickest in my entire life. He dropped me at Khumharo ka Bhatta.

Having a cup of tea here I searched for Udaipur Palace, it is only 3km from here. I got hitchhike near to City Palace to Gulaab Baag(rose garden) by a middle-aged man.

He told people from all over Udaipur come here to inhale fresh purified air, walk and do exercise. It's a beautiful garden.

Nowadays, every city needs such type of garden. But I didn't sit here, coming out of the garden, I preferred breakfast of two omelettes to gain some protein.

City Palace is a 100m walking distance. When I reached and looked at the ticket chart it put me in astonishment state.

The ticket is 300/person for everyone, no discrimination against foreigners. But for Indians, this amount is way too high.

I took one and entered. The Palace is right in front of a huge pond, wherein the middle of the pond there is a 5-star hotel.

The Palace complex is well decorated and huge in size, there is 50 extra charge for this area. There is a separate charge of 500 for boating around the hotel in the pond.

Too much commercialization by King of the Palace. There is a restricted area where King and his family resides. 

I entered to main Palace which is converted into Museum. It is 1st March today and every year the Palace facilitates its employees who have brilliantly given services in past one year by Maharana Mewar Foundation.

In front of the building sitting arrangement is done and by 1 pm everything will get shutdown today in Palace in order to start the program.

Museum has a lot of things about Maharana Pratap, Haldi Ghati battle story.

A large number of foreigners we're surprised by the act of Chetak(horse of Rana Pratap).

That how a horse can jump 30ft with a person total's weigh of 210kg. It was his love for Rana Pratap.

There is a temple of Rana Pratap inside Palace. But Rana Pratap never lived in Forts or Palaces.

There is a chariot presented to the current prince by his in-laws,  made up of silver. Several trophies won by this family are covered in a separate place. 

I came out of the museum and sat for a few minutes at the initial, but no intention to start again.

Exit from the Museum and requested a foreigner to take some good shot from my phone. He is from Uruguay, the only I know about Uruguay is a football team in video games.

He wanted to go boating, so we hang around a bit and enquired for boating. Officially it is 500 and unofficially it depends on where you board in the boat.

He is a geography teacher. So were my questions. Curiously I asked a few and he made me understand how and when it all happened.

We both came out of the city Palace. By the time no energy was left in me to walk more.

On the other hand, Digvijay informed me about his arrival to room so if I wish I can come. I booked a rental bike and reached Ashok rd.

As soon as I entered he asked do I know Abhinav from the community. Well very well, I stayed with Abhinav twice before starting Gujarat trip and after completion.

After that, the atmosphere was totally changed from unknown to friendly mode. We took Abhinav in the loop over the call. He was puzzled at first when Digvijay asked: "Do you know someone whom you hosted and now I'm hosting?".

Then I sent a selfie on his WhatsApp. It clicked and he called us again. Omg, I didn't expect this much joy. In between his elder brother came who is leaving for the hometown.

Diggi dropped him to bus stand while I was at the room. Later when he returned Diggi informed me a Portuguese couple want to stay with us.

They have no other option anywhere. So we both went to the railway station to pick them up. They were exhausted and energy less with hunger at the mouth. We stopped to famous Vada Pao shop. It is delicious. 

As we came back home, the Portuguese were so indulged in their cellphones that they forgot they're at someone's place.

For hours it is same. Diggi ordered extra tiffins for three of us. We altogether had food tonight. Rasgulla in sweets. They had no base plan for Udaipur.

When Diggi offered them to visit Kumbhalgarh with me they blindly agreed. I was surprised when they told they were in Hampi for a day only. They are not travellers at least as per definition. Mobile is everything for them and it shows.