Rajastan
Trip Start
Jun 16, 2006
1
10
22
Trip End
Aug 25, 2006
Bundi, India
Sunday, July 23, 2006
It was a beautiful journey, loads of rice fields and small villages, and we had a nice chat about world politics with two Indian guys (very opinionated, of course).
We arrived in a small town called Kota, which was truly horrible. Loads of hassle from tuktuk drivers (whom we managed to get one up on by taking the local bus to the bus station and bypassing them altogether!) and the locals seemed to be living in another (filthy) world. We were more than glad to get on the next bus for the 45 minute drive to Bundi (the driver drove SO fast my knuckles were white). On the bus we were befriended by a crazy old guy, who said he was a chemistry teacher, but actually was just a nutter. He wanted us to go to his house and see some oil paintings, and when we said that we may not be able to come as we were busy, he started crying and cursing and banging his hand on his head. Needless to say we ran as fast as possible from this guy, and spent the next couple of days dodging him!
Bundi is an absolutely beautiful little town. Lots of small streets making up the maze of a town. All the buildings are rendered in pale blue (Brahaman Hindus live in the blue houses) and the architecture is almost European looking. The palace that sits on top of a hill overlooking the town is mesmerizing. We spent a couple of hours exploring this (whilst simultaneously dodging the teams of bats that live there - they REALLY stink!).
This place has only quite recently come onto the tourist map, so there isn't much to do here. The local market literally just sells vegetables and the esentials, and there are very few places to eat (i e. 3), all have very basic menus. We ate in our guest house one night (rice) and then in another guest house for lunch and dinner the next day,(more rice and a bit of potato). We sat for a few hours chatting with the lovely young couple who run this guest house (they have 2 and are building up their business). It was so refreshing to talk to an Indian man who is open minded and reasonable. He gives his wife independence and responsibility in the business, and they both work so hard to create a good life for themselves and their young son. The lady was celebrating her 25th birthday, so they had to leave us as they were going to a nice restaurant in Kota. She was confident and he was charming and clued up... so refreshing in a land where most men are unbearably chauvinistic and opinionated, and all the women are forced to fade into the background.
Whilst eating on their rooftop restaurant we saw one of the most amazing sights we have ever seen... hundreds of thousands of bats streaming out of one tiny door of the palace, flying over the town and into the forest beyond. It was a good 20 minute affair, and we sat with our heads back for the entirety, unable to believe our eyes as the thick black clouds of bats flew over us.
After 1 and a half days of seeing the local sights, and wandering through the quiet blue streets of Bundi, we had really done it all. We decided that we would leave for Udaipur the following morning.
