Reached Udaipur today morning...fortunately its not as hot as I had thought it would be. It even rained for a while in the afternoon, while I was out exploring the City Palace museum, and in typical Bombaywalla fashion, the waters made no difference to me while everybody else kept scrambling around for cover :)

What I found really, really cute was the Udaipur airport...the building is smaller than the inter-city bus stop in Poona, with security to match. It was just so cute strolling into something so miniscule after having gotten nearly lost in the confusing vastness of Bombay's airport, picking up your bag off the barely 3-foot conveyor belt, and then walking right out...its 8 steps from the runway to the final exit :) :)

Found the 21 kms drive from the airport to the city dissapointing. Its one concrete highway...a good highway, but it just seems that you are in Delhi. There is no trace of the colorful personality of Udaipur here.Very dull...why are we letting this happen to one of our most beautiful cities?????

But the City Palace complex is a treat. Maharana Arvind Singhji has put in lots of efforts in restoring the place and it looks so much better than it did the last time I was here, which was to inaugurate the Royal Vintage car garage in February 2004. Thats when we had taken the Rally of the Raj through Udaipur. Its touching here that every native I have met today still remembers the rally with great affection and want to know when we will bring it back. Nitin uncle, are you listening?

My room at the Fateh Prakash Hotel is right behind the Crystal Gallery, above the Durbar Hall, and the views are amazing. Its even got a really quaint window seat that overlooks Lake Pichola and the Lake Palace, which I head for day after.

Have not stepped out into the city yet, but will keep you posted with more details tomorrow. Right now, I am off to have a cup of coffee at the poolside restaurant of the Shiv Niwas palace and enjoy the sunset!!