Saturday 30 October Udaipur

Had fun at breakfast on the roof restaurant - I saw a little lemur monkey jump into a tree below, when I got up and looked over the wall there were about twelve of them all sizes from tiny to quite big in the tree eating shoots and jumping in and out onto the adjoining building, gradually more arrived as word got around, one carrying a tiny baby under her belly, they are so funny with their cute black faces, floppy feet and long tails, a couple of the bigger ones then tried to get through the neighbours window where there was obviously someone in the room, so then a person appeared on the roof of the house throwing food to them - we didn't get our breakfast as the waiters were too busy laughing and throwing chappatis, even the dog was watching with her front paws up on the wall, and of course we didn't have the camera. Afterwards we sorted out the bill and booked a taxi to take us to the airport.

Today we are visiting the Bagore Ki Haveli which is now a museum, but first of all we walked to the Gangaur Ghat, to get there you pass through a beautiful triple arched gateway, there were women doing their washing, as well as changing out of and washing what they were wearing, boys running and jumping into the water and smaller children playing, the little ones came over to talk to us and to practice their English as well as asking for one photo please, we could see the same sort of activity across the lake at the opposite ghats.

The haveli is being restored and we found it interesting, it is not huge but it is a most attractive building, with courtyards, many small rooms, terraces and displays - some rooms have furniture, clothes, turbans, toys, photograps, cooking utensils to give an indication as to how it was in the past, as well as murals and glass inlay - there was one strange display of world famous landmarks such as Big Ben and the Eiffel Tower carved out of polystyrene we couldn't make out the relevance, one room was full of hundreds of wonderful puppets some really large. It was enjoyable to walk on the terraces overlooking the lake, it must have been a marvelous place in which to live. There was a corridor of old and modern art before we went through to a modern exhibition of photoart some of which was lovely.

Then found a hotel up the road can't remember the name, visitors were having art classes downstairs - there seem to be many places giving art, music and cooking classes here, it might have been nice to do something if we had more time, anyway we went up to the rooftop restaurant with its great views over the lake where we had coffee and apple pie, John of course had to have custard with his.

As we walked around we were reminded once again that the film Octopussy had its setting in Udaipur and many place were advertising that you could watch it at their premises. We carried on walking and looking around side streets and alleyways - we got away from the main roads which are awful today with exhaust fumes, cars, rickshaws, noisy too fast boy racers on their motorbikes, bulls and cows frightening the life out of me every time one looked my way, together with large parties of school children coming for Diwali, everywhere has been decorated for the holiday which is next week, we were told that all businesses have to pay 500rs to the organising committee - surely it can't all go on decorations. Got a bit lost but were rescued and taken back to where we knew by a gang of small children who took great delight in guiding us up, down, round and through all sorts of hidden places. They and we enjoyed ourselves.

We eventually wandered back to our 'local' the Whistling Teal for aloo jeera and muttar mushrooms to keep us going till we got to Delhi, we relaxed there on the divans till it was time to pick up our luggage and regretfully head off to the airport. We were more than pleased to find that our taxi was to be the four wheel drive which the excellent hotel owners use for their Krishna Ranch, it was really nice to have a super driver and to be sitting above the awful traffic which was heading away from Udaipur.

Checked in baggage at the airport, a very nice terminal and so quiet, hardly anyone there, we read for a while then I looked around a shop selling pearls and fell in love with a beautiful emerald necklace - good job I didn't have my Visa card with me. The we checked our hand baggage through and oh dear guess what I had left in my bag - the swiss army knife which I had been using to peel fruit. The security and Kingfisher staff were extremely helpful and even offered to get our luggage back for us to open even though it was all security tagged, we said would leave it, but no, they insisted that they would put it on the plane and that we could pick it up at Delhi they gave us a ticked to collect it with - unbelievable!

The plane was on time and it was so small with about 70 seats and with propellers, never been on a plane like that - but we got there. On arrival in Delhi lost a bit of time while staff tried to find the knife.

Paid for a taxi, and we eventually found the Hotel Western Queen which looked ok on the outside, but not impressed with the not very clean room, I swear the mattresses were filled with straw, big thick furry top covers, incredibly noisy fan, damp dingy bathroom and insects flying around. We used our pashminas and the towels as bedding. Will sort out tomorrow morning.