Day 21: Checking out

In style: (Hmm, one day adrift and as far as we're aware the itinerary has not included the International Date Line. Blame it on the G&Ts. We had no choice - we forgot our malaria tablets. Worked for our ancestors when in residence, hope it's worked for us....)

Day 20: Imperial Splendour

Back to reality (of a sort) today - we've left rural Rajasthan and are back in Delhi, staying at The Imperial, which is a very gentle return to earth prior to our departure tomorrow. That said, even in the finest hotel in the capital city we still managed a power cut this evening. Funniest moment of the day was arriving back in Delhi to find Madhav waiting to pick us up and grinning like a Cheshire cat. We left him at Udaipur with an envelope stuffed with Rs 500 notes, which may explain why he's so pleased to see us. (Quick rant on plane travel - why does a one hour flight between two hotels, each of which are 45 minutes from their respective airports, take a total of seven hours out of the day? This is how we spent most of the day: )

Day 18/19: The Devi Garh

A final recharge of body, soul & mind in a minimalist nest in the Aravalli hills. Time to face Hugo's spa tab...

Day 17: Hotel Spotting

We can smugly report that we have a much better view of the Lake Palace from our balcony than they do from the fabulously opulent Oberoi Udai Vilas hotel (Oberoi is in background): That said, the best view of all is from their bar, if you look up:

Photos

I've used the slightly disappointing weather this afternoon (cloudy) to upload some more photos here: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hugorodgerbrown/sets/72157603561920095/

View from the office

Just a quick pic - showing B writing the daily update - not a bad office I think you'll agree?

Day 14/15/16: Another day, another Nawab.

After a couple of days at the extremely chilled (in every sense - Hugo went to bed in his woolly hat) Bijaipur Castle

, we spent a wonderful night at the castle's lakeside tented camp (post an 18K cycle with the Nawab to get there), where B won the wildlife photo competition with this:

As the only guests, we were utterly indulged - heart-shaped 'cutlets' for breakfast inc! In other news, we've finally parted from Madhav, our driver and guardian over the past 12 days, and are now on our own, and back in civilisation - a beautiful room in Udaipur's City Palace complex, with a terrace overlooking the famous Lake Palace hotel. An extremely noisy wedding celebration is underway beneath our balcony as we type - the bride is just coming into view aboard an elephant, time to go and watch, before high tea on the lake.

Day 13: By Royal Appointment

Following on from our performance at last night's party, the Nawab himself invited us to move from the Queen's bedroom suite (see below) to the Royal Suite with his compliments this morning, it having been vacated earlier by another of last night's guests, the Governor of Rajasthan. His Eminence left in in a flurry of pomp, including a formal military review of the guard of honour, observed by us from our palatial apartments. The morning's excitement over with, we settled down to a relaxing day of ... nothing at all. Heavenly.

Day 12: Jodhpur to Deogarh

"It all began at Marwar Junction, three long summers and a thousand years ago". As for Kipling's protagonists in The Man Who Would Be King, so too our journey began at Marwar Junction, a small country town 100km out of Jodhpur, and far enough off the beaten track for us (in particular my blonde companion) to be the focus of attention rather than the other way round. After a quick wander through the market we were off on another fabulous train journey, three hours winding up through the Khamli Ghats and onto the Arvalli plains and our next castle hideaway. Bridget acquired a new best friend on the way, who's already called her phone six times since we parted. Our beautiful hotel suite opens out onto the main terrace bar, which later tonight may be a little congested - it's only 7.30pm, and our host the Nawab of Deogarh is already on his third G&T. Chin chin, and a happy new year to you all.