Saturday 8 October 2011

Udipoo!

Tuesday:
Arrived in Udaiper having had a surprisingly good amount of sleep on the train. Udaiper is situated on this massive lake and all the hostels have cracking views of it and the mountains in the distance. Grabbed a tuk tuk to the hostel Joe had recommended back in Mumbai. The driver was desperately trying to get us to go to a hostel he said was really good (which they all try to do as they have commission arrangements with certain hostels). Anyway, we looked at this hostel (which turns out wasn't the one Joe had recommended) and they were quoting 2200 rupis a night which we were having none of! So we let mr tuk tuk (khaun) take us to his hostel he was recommending as it was near to the dream heaven which the lonely planet recommended. The dream heaven didn't have any rooms so we went for this place and it was only 600 rupis a night for an AC room with a balcony. Went for a cracking lunch at Jasmine (lonely planet recommended) which had a really chilled vibe and decent food. We were itching for a drink so wondered to the off licence and bought a 70cl bottle of whiskey for 300 rupis (4 quid). Stepped in a big old lump of cow shit and had to clean off my sandels in the lake (and probably caught aids). Headed back to the hostel and chilled for a couple of hours before going to a resteraunt by the lake. The restaurant had a cracking view and the food was top notch. In hindsight it was a wee bit expensive but the equivalent of a tenner back home for 2 beers each and enough food to feed 3 people. Wade was a bit down about missing his girlfriend back home so I was doing my best to cheer him up. I explained that I knew someone back home who had gone travelling in Australia and ended up leaving after a couple of weeks cus he missed his girlfriend back home and always regretted it as they ended up breaking up shortly after anyway. Think that helped a lot and by the morning and a good nights sleep he was back to his spritely self.

Wednesday:
Having had a pretty lazy day the day before we decided we'd go out exploring the town. Started off by spending a couple of hours at the internet cafe then headed to the dream heaven to see if they had any rooms going. Got chatting to 3 aussie girls who had been in India for a couple of months and more importantly had been in Udaiper for 6 days so gave us loads of good tips. Headed off to the temples and we started getting the hang of the locals constantly harassing us and turned it into a bit of a game with them. We walked around all afternoon and had such a great laugh. Went to this temple and got a cracking pic of tiggs by this hindu statue on the sneak. Then we went next door to this run down temple that didn't have anyone in it. It was much better as we could walk anywhere and take photos without feeling guilty about offending anyone. This helpful official looking guy who worked there took us around and told us all about the temple and had a laugh with us at the naughty karma sutra carvings. Wade asked him "do you do karma sutra?" and he replied "i'm married" so presumably he means no! That night we met up with a couple we met in the internet cafe (Ross and Beth) for a few drinks. The resteraunt/bar we went to was suggested to us by the owner who we bumped into earier in the day and we had barted drinks for 120rps a beer. Got there and asked how much a beer was and they said 250rps each! We told him he was having a laugh and we threatened to leave unless he gave them for 120 each and he soon cracked. The negotiating here is hilarious! Stayed for a few jars then went on to this place called Pushkas and the guys there don't care if you smoke special cigerates in the bar and you can put your own tunes on. Had a cool quote on the wall saying "we're all here cus we're not all there" which I really like.  On the walk back Wade tried to ride a cow (they just wonder around the streets) but it wasn't too happy about it. Then we heard some loud music ritual banging from a place near our hostel so the guys let us get involved and we got blessed by the holy man there.

Thursday:
Best day in India so far. Bumped into this Manc guy called Micheal who recomended we head to this museli place down the road. loads of fruit and yoguart and this thing was the balls. He took about half an hour to make it but that was only cus he put so much love into it. After that we went to find a swimming pool, tried a few places that were talking 300rps but eventually found a place for 100rps. It was actually the first place that tuk tuk man took us (the really expensive hotel) and it was really chilled there. They had 3 turtles just bopping around the grass. I decided to splash out on a full body massage which cost me 950rps (15 quid). It was naked which was a bit uncomfortable. The masseuse (who looked like an India Mr Bean) kept brushing past my junk which weirded me out a bit. After that we went for a cooking course which was amazing. It's run by this sweet old india woman who is recommended as the best thing to in Udaiper by trip adviser and lonely planet. We cooked everything from pakoras to curries to naan bread and at the end we sat and ate all we'd cooked. Got back on a real high having had such a cracking day and realised I'd left my ipod at the bar the night before. I was spitting feathers as it's one of the most important things I have (second only to my wallet and tiggs). Went to the bar and after I'd identified it as being in a leather wallet he handed it over. I could have kissed him I was so happy! Bought the guy a beer to say thanks and explained that the night before we'd been blessed at the ritual and told him that I thought I was blessed (they love all that).

Friday:

Met up with the Aussie girls we hung around with at the pool the day before and grabbed a tuk tuk to the boat place to get a trip around the palace lake. Having already swam in the lake a few days prior (I can't remember what day it was) it kinda took the adventure out of it but it we still had some pretty views of the palace on the lake. After that we got chatting to some Indian kids and convinced them to let us ride their motorbikes about for a bit which was a good laugh. Bit dodge rocking a bike in just shorts and a beater (no helmet!) but when in Rome and all that! Then we walked up this hill and convinced some locals that Wade was Ricky Pointings son so they all took photos with him and where really impressed. It's got to the stage now where every fucker we meet is lying to us to scam money so we might as well just lie back! Got this cable car up to the top of that mountain and sat drinking whiskey looking out at Udiper lit up at night which was beautiful. We spent about 3 hours up there just soaking it in and chatting and it was so nice to get some peace and quite for once. By the time we where done there where no tuk tuk drivers to take us home so we asked this 'helpful' local guy to take us back on the back of his motorbike. 3 up! He tried grabbing Wades junk and feeling up his leg on the way back so Wade wasn't too pleased with that!

Saturday:

Aimlessly wondered around udiper for a while and chilled at the hotel for most of the day until the evening. Met a couple of french girls at this fancy Restaurant (one of which was insanely hot!) and chatted to them for a while. The next day we agreed to met up to got up to monsoon palace which cost us a fair amount. and wasn't all that great to be honest. Grabbed a bus to Jodpur that night which was pretty uncomfortable but having popped a couple of valium I was out like a light!

In Summary, Udiper was fucking quality. 

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