Bundi

Trip Start Sep 15, 2007

Trip End Jun 2008

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Flag of India Bundi, India
Sunday, November 4, 2007

After the chaos of Jaipur it was a welcome change to get to the more gentle pace of Bundi. We even managed to find a nearly empty train, the first time we've been on any sort of transport in India not packed to the rafters. Bundi is a smallish town which is a little off the normal tourist route and so is quieter and altogether more pleasant. We stayed in a 400 year old Haveli which was very nice, though not so good at the modern amenities like hot water, and was absolutely full of beasties. It was right under the palace though so we could sit with a beer at sunset and watch bats streaming out of the palace right over our heads. One even pooed on Helen which was cool, although she made us sit under a canopy from then on.

Bundi palace was really amazing, right out of a fairytale, perching on the hill above the town. You're more or less free to ramble round it as well, although some bits are off limits simply due to the volume of bat droppings

Bundi palace

. Its a refreshing change from roped off stately homes back in Britain, and you quite often feel like you're playing Tomb Raider seeing if you can get any higher up!

Apart from rooting about the palace, we really took it easy in Bundi. It was a nice place to wander round, with incredibly friendly people. One day we wnet to the post office to send a parcel home but went in through the wrong side and ended up in the back office. Instead of kicking us out the man in charge gave us chai, introduced us to just about everyone in the office, then helped us with the incredibly complex parcel posting arrangements. After all this he took us to the bit of the post office we were supposed to be, and insisted that we go first in the queue!

The next day I went for a haircut as I was getting a bit shaggy on top. This was not as simple as it seems because most barbers here are pretty dingy, scary looking places with lots of cut-throat razors lying about. I eventually plucked up the courage and went into one, who after lengthy negotiations told me I had to pay only "as much as you like". Suitably scared, I took a seat and without asking me how I would like my hair he frantically began cutting. Throughout he was telling me stories in Hindi which were partially translated by the ever-growing crowd who had appeared from nowhere to watch my haircut. Once he'd finished my hair (by then there was very little left to cut!) he started on an un-requested shave, which was particularly scary as he was then telling me about his criminal past (I think!). Just when I thought I was in the clear and he'd finished shaving, he started all over again! I've never been so clean shaven in my life. Once the whole ordeal was over he started pummeling my head and face while some of the crowd tried to explain this was a massage! After all this he stood back looking very pleased indeed and anounced my new hair was "Indian Army" style. I paid the man and fled, safe in the knowledge that my hair was short enough that the next haircut would not be in India!

So after three good days in Bundi it was time to get the overnigh train to Udaipur......

Bundi hotels Slideshow