Updated October 2011 What an experience last night at the game.  Mumbai Indians won a close game and the atmosphere at the stadium was excellent.  Certainly the best of the venues we’d been to. But what an ordeal to get into the stadium – we were frisked 18 times for weapons, etc and had our tickets checked 12 times. As they say...

Updated October 2021 We decided to have another flexible day today.  Rhys finally awoke just after 9:30.  His body alarm clock must have alerted him to the hotel’s breakfast service closing at 10:00! We finally managed to get our tickets for tonight’s game between the Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings.  They had been sent to a “friend of a friend’s...

Updated October 2021 Today was another official “blob out” day as we needed to check out the hotel by 12:00 and were flying back to Mumbai in the afternoon. The day got off to a bad start.  Rhys discovered that someone had stolen his “favourite” shoes from our “private” courtyard.  Needless to say hotel staff denied any responsibility and the hotel...

Updated October 2021 I slept really well last night.  I looked forward to a full day excursion to see the 14th century intricately carved Jain temples of Ranakpur and impressive Kumbhalgarh fortress. But first, I had breakfast to tackle! Udaipur is a much “gentler” place than Jaipur.  The trip to Kumbhalgarh Fort took a couple of hours as we meandered through rolling...

  Updated October 2021 Arrived just after 06:30 this morning from the overnight train from Jaipur and felt a tad groggy.  This perhaps had something to do with trying to sleep on a noisy train in a cot with crusty cotton sheets and a thick woollen blanket! The Orient Express it wasn’t!  Rhys slept soundly he said! Staff at Swaroop Vilas Hotel checked...

Updated October 2021 We officially declared today a “blob out” day – government buildings and monuments were still closed and we had some packing to do. Feeling a bit under the weather today, I had breakfast and then went back to bed until just before the 12:00 check-out time.  We really just kicked our heels today and went and did some...

Updated October 2021 Manish, our host from Friday’s meeting, had agreed to take us sightseeing today but our plans were significantly disrupted due to the death of Jaipur’s last maharaja, Bhawani Singh, who was 80. The Rajasthan state government announced 2 days of state mourning and that all government offices and buildings would be closed until Tuesday. Unfortunately, we didn’t find out...

Updated October 2021 I think we were spoilt in Delhi and Agra.  The breakfasts, in the otherwise delightful Shahpura House Hotel, have been pretty average, to say the least!  I knew today was going to be a full day. We’d agreed to hire Mehmoob (the rickshaw driver we used yesterday) for the day rather than enduring the energy sapping haggling required...

  Updated October 2021 I freely admit to being a “Jaipurite”.  And it was the perfect place to spend with my son. I’d arranged an early morning rickshaw (we’d given our driver the day off) out to Amber Fort so we could take an elephant ride to the top of the hill.  I’d done the same trip in 2008 with a business...

Updated October 2021 We thought that we’d struck lucky this morning.  In an area of more than 1,110 square metres and with less than 40 tigers roaming, we were excited to see fresh tiger footprints. Following a different trail to yesterday afternoon’s safari, everyone was excited as jeeps were racing everywhere after Sambar Deer distress calls were heard.  Guides were very...