India Trip Day 3 (Udaipur) - City Palace, Udaipur Ropeway & Bagore Ki Haveli

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Our train was supposedly at 11.00pm, but after checking on Ixigo, our train was delayed and the expected arrival time was 12.50am. We didn't wanna waste our time, sitting at the station with nothing to do so we just spent time in the Zostel common room first. 

The common room was quite spacious and there were a few card and board games available. They even had some musical instruments like guitar and flute. We played UNO and laughed hard when someone had to take a few cards after others put +2 or +4. And even harder when someone kept drawing the card from the deck because she didn't have any card with the same colour or number as the person before. The clock was ticking fast, but we didn't realise until one of us checked the clock and it was already 12.00am! Nak pergi toilet lagi, nak book Uber lagi. Couldn't imagine if there were no Uber available that night. Might run to the train station or just sat down in despair, feeling miserable, waiting for the sun to rise haha.

Zostel Jaipur common room. Less people, comfortable, and there were a number of power outlets for us to charge our phone and power banks. Thank God they allowed us to lepak here until late night though we had already checked out at 9.00am. 

The train station is about 20 - 30 minutes from Zostel Jaipur, depending on the traffic. We hurriedly booked an Uber and while waiting, we went to the toilet alternately and brought out our luggages and backpacks from a room behind the reception counter. Once the Uber car arrived, we told him to try his best to drive as fast as he could. 

If you can see from this blurry photo, there are colourful lights from the window of the Hawa Mahal.

We arrived 10 minutes earlier than the expected arrival time of the train. We stood on the platform, feeling confident that the coach that we booked would arrive just in front of us. The train usually will only stop for a while before moving to the next station, so we waited at the platform patiently to make sure that we would not miss the train. The train moved from afar towards where we stood. One coach to one coach passed by us. We saw coach S9 (S stands for sleeper), but it didn't stop in front of us! Train still laju pulak tu haha. Without any further delay, we rushed to our coach, S9 from coach S3, while the train brake trying to defy inertia and at the same time preventing a sudden halt. 

We ran and ran and ran. We were still running though the train had stopped. Imagine 4 girls running in the middle of the crowd with luggages.. hahaha. I never knew the train was super duper long, until we had to run like this! It was so tiring and full of drama. One of my friends, I couldn't really remember whether it was Fatin or Sanaa accidentally tripped an uncle's bag, and even the uncle was kind of being flipped and turned away. Pity the uncle, but we had to keep on going or we might miss the train. My friend said sorry a few times and we continued running. 

At one time Sanaa almost got separated from us because there was a huge crowd in the middle of the platform and Sanaa was sandwiched between them when they were about to move to somewhere haha. Told ya, us and train were full of drama, which we could never escape from. It started even on the first night we were there haha. 

The train was a bit dark as most people already switched off the light. Fatin and Sanaa went for the middle bunks, while Najwa and I took the lower ones. But, it was quite uncomfortable and felt insecure with the continuous staring from a few people in the compartment next to us and I couldn't sit straight upright as the bed of the middle one was very low. So, Najwa and I moved to the uppermost bunks.

We put our luggages below, on the floor and places a few chains Sanaa bought us between the bags and the vertical columns that connect the uppermost and the middle bunks. 

The view from where I was.

I was awake around 6 in the morning and instantly felt regret of keeping my thick outerwear in the luggage, which was hard to be reached from above. The window was open. It was freezing cold. I could barely feel my hands and feet! I just couldn't wait for the sun to rise and shine into the train. I wished I had something to cover myself other than just a thin normal sweater.


UDAIPUR RAILWAY STATION (UDZ)

First foot down on the station and I was already feeling amazed. Udaipur Railway Station was super duper clean and nice. There were bins every 50 metres! There was wifi connection, but we had neither password nor Indian number to log into it, so we asked for help from the lady at the ticketing counter. We booked an Uber straight to Moustache Hostel, where we were gonna stay for 1 night. 

MOUSTACHE HOSTEL 

Moustache Hostel is somewhere in the narrow street near the Grasswood Cafe and opposite to Nukkad Guest House. It has a few floors, and they have a nice place where you can eat at the roof top. Checking in was so easy as the guy at the reception seemed to know who we are even before we introduced ourselves. He just asked us to leave our passports to be recorded in the guest book and instructed another guy to show our room. 

One of the good things about travelling 4 people is most hostels have a room for 4 people. So it was just nice for the 4 of us and we could lock the room whenever we wanted to keep our things safe and sound. I booked Moustache Hostel from the website itself and paid when we checked in. 

Hot shower was not available at first. The trick was we had to turn on the shower and let it be for a few minutes. Kind of wasting.. yeah I know. But the coldness stung until bone and although the cold water had turned hot, it was still not enough to make me feel warm more than a minute once it had been turned off. Couldn't afford to bear the hungriness anymore, we decided to have a lunch. Googled for halal place and we found Al Rehmaniya Restaurant in the list and it wasn't too far from our hostel. 

AL REHMANIYA RESTAURANT

Uber from Moustache Hostel to the restaurant costed us Rs48. There was no customer in the restaurant, which made me wonder whether it was opened or not. Once we seated, a guy came, gave a menu and took the order from us. Each of us ordered a piece of roti (yes they called it roti. Tapi roti apa entah, lupa dah haha) and a plate of chicken masala to be shared among the four of us. 

About 10mins afterwards, one by one of the roti was placed on our plates. Each roti costed only Rs15 (about RM1), but the size was double of roti canai kosong in Malaysia. I was super duper hungry, could even a horse at that time, so I ordered another roti haha. Typical Dylla, would never have enough with only one roti. It was delicious! You can really taste the mixed spices they used in the chicken masala. And the chicken itself was so tender, yummm! 

Look at how big one roti is!

UDAIPUR CITY PALACE

With a full and satisfied tummy, we booked an Uber and went straight to City Palace. We got the student price for the entrance fee, Rs100, but I had to pay another Rs250 for my camera. They said that I can leave it at the counter and just pay for the deposit, which I can claim at the end of the tour, but I didn't dare to take the risk so I just paid the amount of money. Besides, I prefer taking photos using my camera.

The view from the entrance.

It was so bright on that day.

Having a tour guide was a no no as we tried our best to keep our expenses as low as possible. But, the problem was we just simply wandered around without knowing the true meaning behind those colourful walls, amazing mirrors and also unique architectural building. Blame myself for not invest a bit on getting useful facts and information. But we did make the tour a fun one by making our own stories haha. Guess I might have to come here again in the future hehe alasan.

Inside the City Palace.

If you can see in the photo below, the white rectangular paper was actually the ticket for the camera, which one has to pay for if you wanted to bring the camera inside. Or else you have to leave it on the counter with an amount of deposit.

Peeping through the holes, looking at the Pichola Lake.

A part of the City of Udaipur.

The ceiling is so niceee!

One of the rooms in the City Palace.

There was a grand wedding about to take place when we were there.

The City Palace overlooks Lake Pichola, the most picturesque lake in Udaipur and where we had a boat ride. The ticket for boat ride was Rs400 each person and we had to pay another Rs30 to enter the City Palace Complex on the side where we would enter the boat from. The sky was bright and the weather was quite warm that evening. Luck was not on our side as we could not enter Jag Mandir because it was being used for an event's purpose.

UDAIPUR ROPEWAY

From City Palace, we went to Udaipur Ropeway (cable car) by Uber. Luckily Najwa's phone had internet so we could search for an Uber. There were a few types of cabin and instead a personal cabin 4, we chose for 4 people, but in a cabin that can fit 6 people, which means the other 2 would be strangers. The price for a group of 4 was Rs390. The view was mesmerising and absolutely beautiful. It stopped near the Karnimata Temple. 

While others went to the temple, we just strolled and roamed around the sunset point at the top of the hill. From there we could see City Palace, Lake Pichola and other beautiful buildings with amazing architectural design. We made friends with a Singaporean family while waiting for our turn to enter the cable car. While on our way down, back to where we came from, we made friends with an Indian couple and their cute little daughter! The sun set early as it was winter and 5.00pm seemed like 7.00pm. We went back to Moustache Hostel first before going to Bagore Ki Haveli, which is situated just nearby the hostel. 

This hill overlooks a part of the City of Udaipur and the Lake Pichola.

BAGORE KI HAVELI

Bagore Ki Haveli is actually a mansion, where they perform traditional folk dance shows and cultural performances. The ticket price for tourist was actually Rs150, but with Sanaa's help again, as usual, we got Indian price Rs90. The show lasted for an hour and it was uhhh-may-zingggg! Especially the part where a lady put 10 pots on her head! Not 3, not 4, but 10! Had to pay for camera if I'm not mistaken, but I couldn't really remember how much. 

She could balance 2 pots on her head.

Eh not 2, but 6.

But at the end, she could actually balance 10 pots! So incredible!

We went back to Moustache Hostel with an empty stomach. Maggi would not be enough, so we ordered 3 chicken briyani and 1 fish curry from Al Rehmaniya as they had delivery service. We made a big mistake here as we forgot to ask for the price. The rice was a lot! Really really a lot. The chicken briyani costed Rs160 each and usually the price for just-nice-portion was below Rs100. 

Sanaa and I, both of us had our own chicken briyani, but we thought maybe we should share 1 packet first, and if it wasn't enough, we eat the other packet. Ended up, we had one packet balance and we kept it in the fridge upstairs. So, before you order something, make sure you check for the price first because sometimes their half briyani for example is reallyyyy a lot!

Can see the City Palace from the rooftop of Moustache Hostel.

I slept early that night. Can't wait for tomorrow! I did something for the first time tomorrow! Guess what was it? If you followed my Instagram, you'd prolly have known. If not, just guess! Hehe.

More photos on Dyllarezan's Instagram

All posts;

India 14 Days Trip - The Intro

India Trip Day 1 Part 1 (Delhi) - Airport & Honk

India Trip Day 1 Part 2 (Delhi) - Scary & Scared
India Trip Day 1 Part 3 (Jaipur) - Hawa Mahal, Jama Masjid & Muhammadi Palace
India Trip Day 2 (Jaipur) - City Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Amer Fort & Jal Mahal
India Trip Day 3 (Udaipur) - City Palace, Udaipur Ropeway & Bagore Ki Haveli