Udaipur.

First of all just let me say thanks you a million times over family for helping my pay for this trip, and thanks to everyone for being such cool people and giving me so much support. I want to tell you all this 15 times every day, if only international calls were less rupees.

Second, Udaipur – full of tourists, full of fun. The lake isn’t quite as glorious as it would be after a good monsoon, but still provided some spectacular views. This was the first time we have traveled with the majority of the group, and it added an extra layer of stress, but everything turned out well. India may try to break our spirits at times, but we always manage to make the best of it. We took an overnight train ride, around 10 hours, and boy did I feel sorry for those poor souls without sleeping bags. I cuddled up with my bag, 2 jackets, a scarf, my ipod, my headlamp, and my knitting and had a very pleasant ride filled with good dreams.

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We got off the train in the morning and went to a Westerner filled café for, gasp, real coffee and peanut butter toast, how I’ve made it without peanut butter for a month is really beyond imagination. We had made elaborate plans for the day, but that was all pretty much foiled when we came across the shopping district. Emma wanted to get some pants tailor made for her, which can be completed in 2 days, isn’t that wild? From scratch and all. I went with her, and needless to say I couldn’t resist. You know that one piece of clothing you look for but can never seem to find the right thing? Well, I decided to get it fitted just for me. And I’m in love with it.

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After we got all the shopping out of our system we explored the City Palace, but at that point we were palaced out, and ended up making fun of the place way more than we appreciated it (but seriously, imported British tile made the place look like a big tacky bathroom, I’m sorry). That night we, again as serious tourists, went and watched some traditional dances at a nearby haveli, which were actually very fun to watch. One woman danced while balancing 8 bowls on her head, and there was a puppet show! Woo! Then we all headed back for some dinner at the guest house we were staying in, which at $3.25 a night, you really could not beat. The restaurant was on the roof, and looked out over the whole city, including the lake. The weather was warm and the conversation was good. My friend Teresa and I tried to cut my hair, I got the length off, but the back looks pretty choppy, but it’ll be fine in a few weeks. No worries.

The next day was excellent. Relaxing breakfast of banana pancakes on the roof, followed by a paddleboat ride around the lake. We rode by the famous hotel and other palace that were floating around in the middle of it, had some street food (oranges and dal samosa) for lunch and explored the less touristy part of the city. That evening we had a cooking class, highlight of the trip. I learned so much and I can’t wait to come home and make you some tofu palak and aloo ghobi and chai samosa. Ugh it was wonderful and we got to eat so so much, when I went to pick up my jacket from the tailors I could hardly get it buttoned. That night we made a pathetic attempt to go explore the “night life” of Udaipur, but just a warning to anyone traveling to India, don’t expect a party scene, it does not exist. I was not sad about this, and had an awesome time falling asleep under the stars while cuddling with my friends on the roof (kind of a half level on top on the restaurant roof) and watching Octopussy, the horrible James Bond movie filmed in Udaipur, and shown at every establishment in the town every night. Hilarious.

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Sunday we got up, another lazy breakfast, this time nutella toast and banana cornflakes. It’s ridiculous how much my life revolves around food, but I honestly feel that my life would only be half as good as it is if I didn’t have taste buds. The four of us girls and two of the boys on our trip rented bikes and rode around a lake with a garden and an observatory in the middle, and then did some “off roading” through this village. There were some minor setbacks, a flat tire and a village kid that stole my pencil, and a few near accidents, but all in all a worthwhile. Exhausted and a little sunburned, we rolled back into the city for some street food (samosas and carrot halwa) in this hold in the wall, where we sat watching this kid make a crazy huge batch of sweets in a huge iron skillet that was bigger than he was. Back to the hotel for some lounging/reading/hindi homeworking, and then night train round 2.

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We made it home for a quick breakfast (garam poa and tea) and a bucket bath, and off we went to school. Needless to say we were dragging today, and sitting through a lecture on the intricacies of the Indian Constitution did not make things easier. But I did receive a letter from grandma mohme (grandma beck, I got yours a few days ago (thanks so much both of you!)) and a package from Ian containing some much appreciated reading, the Sigur Ros DVD (dissipating my jealousy towards Anna’s earlier viewing) and 2 pop punk mixes. I think he sent those CDs knowing that even though punk is not my thing, I’m automatically going to fall in love with them because they remind me of him. Ian, I’m on to you, you aren’t that sneaky. Just kidding, you can’t even imagine how much I appreciate it, even though it makes me miss you more, if that’s possible. Thanks for ruling at life. Today I also went to switch malaria medicine, my skin is not having the doxy (I don’t know if you’ve noticed the Rudolph nose in all the pictures), and this new kind is over 10 bucks a pill (you take one a week) in the US, but when I went to the pharmacy here, only a buck a pop! And my prescription was scribbled on a piece of scrap paper that they didn’t keep, so I’m pretty sure if anyone needs some cheap prescription drugs let me know and I’ll smuggle them home. Just kidding, but its insane how much cheaper medicine and medical services are here. But I don’t know about the legitness of the “pharmacy,” which was really just another hole in the wall shop teaming with boxes and people and a polo game playing in the background. Oh yea, and I finally shaved my legs. It took almost an hour. It was disgusting.