Firstly to respond to some comments as I've just found them!

Tom - Glad you liked photos, thought/knew you would! Have u been taking too? Email me some good ones if yes!
Liv - So why laos? Not sure why but I hadn't considered it, though I did see some photos on the net the other day and it looked nice. Where did you actually go on your travels?
Bonney - No snow yet though I hear there was some in UK? Maybe in NZ if i go skiing!
Emma - Always going home before everyone else! How did the play go?
Merlin - Aw, I miss you guys too! What opinions or ideas have you voiced so far? I suggested to Mike but maybe I'm better off telling you that I think my blog should get posted on the FRV noticeboard!
Sam - Haha, thanks for towel etc. I haven't read the book The Beach; as you well know I don't read.
Dad - It didn't help that I went to the beach resorts first as I threw myself straight on the sun beds! I like to see it as brown anyway. I copied my pictures onto a CD then uploaded from there.


After I last posted a written update I went to these gardens in Udaipur which were nice but nothing overly special. In the evening I was taken to this restaurant on the edge of the lake which was amazing. It's tipped to be the most romantic restaurant in India and one of the most in the world so shame I was dining alone! Still enjoyed it though, it had a great view of the City Palace which I had visited earlier in the day and of the Lake Palace Hotel which is a 5 star hotel on an island in the middle of the lake. Half way through my meal (curry, also nice) was a fireworks display so it was really good.

As I had said I was meant to have another day in Udaipur even though I had finished the sight-seeing so I complained and after a while it was agreed we would leave in the morning, a day early, and the extra day I will spend in Jaipur in a couple of days. on the way to Jodhpur we stopped off at the Jain Temple which I wasn't allowed inside but the structure outside was pretty cool. I arrived at the hotel late afternoon so it was too late to do anything so I started to take advantage of the hotels free internet! There was also a free big snooker table so I got some practice in! After a couple of hours I headed round the corner to the Chicken Corner to get a curry. It was nice, despite the fact it had bones and was a boneless curry :-s

The next day, my full day in Jodhpur, was a good one. Although when it came to my food I didn't have much luck. At breakfast I was brought "bred and buter" and "gem on tost" (as it was written on the menu) when I had asked for simply "toast." At lunch I was brought a desert I hadn't ordered and at dinner (chicken corner again - not much choice there) I was brought an extra rice I didn't ask for; I couldn't even finish the first there was so much! Never mind, all worked out ok.

In the morning I went to 'Meherangarh Fort' which was pretty incredible. You're in the city and you can't see it at all then all of a sudden it appears high up on the top of the hill. It's massive and almost blends in with the hill. I toured all round there (audio tour included in entry fee, which I blagged at the student price) and it took about 3 and a half hours. There's galleries within the fort, some with swords, armour, guns etc used in the battles there, some with pictures of people, some with paintings etc etc. The paintings gallery was good as it's miniature painting so all the objects are tiny and the precision of the painting and the fine lines is amazing. took photos but not sure if they'll do it justice. You gradually work your way through a few courtyards and up to the top of the fort where there's two temples and tens of cannons all along the walls. When you're stood just behind the wall all you can hear is the people around you but when you lean over the edge, only 2 feet infront, you can hear the hustle and bustle of the city below; children playing, bells ringing, people praying and of course horns beeping! I thought it was really good. The views into the city were my other favourite part - 'The Blue City.' People paint their houses blue to create a sea of blue houses and from some points it's difficult to spot a house that isn't blue. Really is something you've gotta see!

Afterwards I went to the Jaswant Thada, a temple at the foot of the fort just outside and then over to the Umaid Bhawan Palace, partly a 5 star hotel, partly residence of some important people! You're not allowed in the hotel but in the gallery which was quite interesting. Then I went into the main centre, went to the clock tower which is surrounded by a market with loads of beggars. Didn't stay there long as it was pretty dirty and tacky. Got another belt from just outside though. After that is when I was able to upload all the photos. That evening I just had my dinner and played snooker again, also watch some boxing in my room and had a bath which was relaxing and the first bath I've seen in India!

The next morning it was time to head to Pushkar where I'm now writing from! We got here at about 2.30 having left at 10.30 and I spent the first hour settling into the hotel and being annoyed that the swimming pool had no water in! Then I went down the road to book my sunset camel safari for that afternoon/evening. A lot of various trips and prices were thrown around until I finally settled to a 3 hour camel ride. Back to the hotel and half an hour later my camel arrived to pick me up! You climb on and sit in the saddle then the camel throws itself up, back legs up first followed by front legs then a bit of a wobble so you have to keep your balance! We went along some sandy paths through the mountains and some small villages until and hour and a half later we stopped on some sand dunes next to an oasis to watch the sunset. It was a really beautiful setting, with quite a lot of birds flying around the oasis. I took loads of photos and watched the sun as it came down, really nice. Then back onto the camel for the journey home, this time through the city centre to be watched by everyone and have loads of little kids waved and say hi which was cute! Then out of nowhere came a bull which decided it didn't like my camel and gave chase. The camel legged it really fast, my bum already hurting by this point, throwing me up and down in my seat! The bull didn't chase much luckily, though the camel wasn't impressed and started having some kind of fit trying to throw me off! I really enoyed it though, even the last bit - it all adds to the experience!

When I got back I went for dinner and then came here to write! So again, you're completely up to date! I've just tried to upload more photos but the internet here is SO SLOW that it's not gonna happen. Will keep trying, but maybe won't succeed until Delhi on 31st...