Day 6 and 7: Onward to Udaipur the City of Lakes and Palaces

We had an early complimentary breakfast and set off from our hotel in Baroda at 8.05 am.

We were out of the city in 20 mins and then for the next 90 km we drove on National Expressway 1 (NE1). This Expressway had been made earlier, so it has only 2 lanes on either side. The traffic was heavy and a little chaotic with cars and truck often occupying the 3rd emergency lane as well. It was disconcerting for me because I tend to go by the rule book and we would often be stuck behind rumbling trucks. The speed limit was a lower 100 kmph compared to the 120 of NE4.

Highway to Udaipur : Welcome to Rajasthan

A little before Ahmedabad we exited on to NH 48 to bypass the city. Suddenly we were flagged down by the police. All cars with out of state numbers were being stopped. There was a more than thorough checking of our bags and even purses and toilet cases. Gujarat is a dry state so I could understand their anxiety in terms of bootlegging of alcohol. But the police seemed to be also intent on discovering ganja - even in the smallest quantities. The police were polite and we complied in a good-humoured way. There was a woman police who checked Jashodhara’s belongings. After checking our smaller bags, they gave up, and didn't check the larger suitcases in the boot where we could have actually stashed the booze more conveniently.

The next section of the drive was through NH 48 once again. And this went all the way to Udaipur. The nature of the terrain road and speed limit changed as we entered Rajasthan after a place called Shamlaji. The road now winded through low hillocks and the speed limit dropped to 80 kph.

We reached our hotel at 2.05. exactly our ETA at our time of departure. The roads and traffic had been good enough for us cut down 30 mins driving time. But the roads from now on would mostly be highways and expressways and far less interesting than the roads we had  taken through Maharashtra.

Hotel Mahendra Prakash was a small and neat haveli style hotel in the old city, in the periphery of the bustling marketplace. Thankfully it had a small parking space. Unfortunately, it was so small that when someone else had to take their car out others needed to clear the way by moving out of the way and into the crowded streets outside. I had a difficult time once I had to drive out and couldn’t find a way to get back in. But that is getting ahead of the story.

Hotel Mahendra Prakash : Palace-like feeling at modest prices

After lunch we rested and, in the evening, went for a boat ride on Lake Pichola. Everyone goes for a boat ride on the Pichola at sunset. The lines were for getting onto the boats were very long but promenade next to the Dudh Talai was very lively with crowds of tourists and buskers and hawkers of all kinds. About 20 of us were packed into the boat and we were glad to be given life jackets. Routine safety is becoming more common in India. By now the sun had set but the many palaces on the island and lake front had started glistening on the lake. We had gone into a full tourist mode and gawked at the scenery.

Tourists on Lake Pichola

After our ride was over we took an auto through narrow streets of the old city. The old city streets or should I say lanes were serpentine and crowded with pedestrians and vehicles. The 2 and wheelers squeezed through the crowds. On either side were extremely colourful shops selling leather goods, clothes, picture frames and all manner of handicraft. Interspersed were shops selling sweets. We got off at Hatipol where the roads widened out and shops were bigger and flashier. Not to outdone by others we too did some window shopping and some actual shopping too.

We spent the next morning in the hotel room. Initially the plan was to drive to Chittorgarh, but that would entail a 2 hour drive and all the back again, so we decided against it. Instead, we took a dip in the inviting pool, wanting to relive the daily swim we did at Goa. But the water was way too cold, and we clambered out immediately.

In the evening, Jashodhara decided to rest, and I decided to go for a walk about around Udaipur City Palace. There was one gate right next to our hotel, but I walked to the other gate.  The road took me behind the palace and entered the palace through the gate near Jagdish temple. The road I went through was narrow but since it was Sunday, many shops were closed, and the walk was pleasant. The tourist-oriented shops like those selling clothes or handicraft were open.

Shopping is mandatory of Udaipur !

To enter the palace compound, one has to buy a 50 rupee entry ticket. Inside it's like an entertainment zone - there's a food court, several handicraft shops, a little tractor-drawn train (ticket separate), lots of museums each with separate tickets, a promenade by the lake and a park. There is also a jetty for boat rides on the lake. The rate is much higher than the municipal boat ride we had taken the previous evening. The palace also has two hotels and several restaurants. The palace grounds and one of the five-star hotels and the museums the run as a private enterprise by the erstwhile rulers of Mewar. The other hotel is leased to the Taj group. The property is fully monetised. Not a bad deal for a king who lost his kingdom when Indian became independent. They continue to be among the richest erstwhile royals of the country with a wealth estimated at 40,000 crores. Not bad at all!

After I had walked around the premises, I realised I had reached a point very close to the second gate and soon I was out and after a quick walk reached our hotel.

Our Route

Distance travelled Baroda to Udaipur - 360 km

Driving time - 5.30 hours

Fuel ave - 17.5 kpl 

P.C Jashodhara