Udaipur, Rajasthan

Unfortunately, Udaipur won’t likely rest in our memories for its ornate palaces, scenic lake vistas or even as the shooting location for 007’s Octopussy....India finally caught up with us and delivered our first team gastro-bug. It wiped out the family for a couple of days and all I can say is that it was a good thing that our washroom’s sink was close to the toilet.

Burrowing out from a pile of laundry and electrolyte-replacing Gatorade bottles, Dale and I managed to visit a couple of places today. AnimalAid is a rescue centre for local animals that are sick or injured. In the last 6 years over 100,000 animals have received medicine, therapy and love from 90 staff and countless volunteers at the centre. Rehabilitated animals are released back to where they were found, or, if unfit to survive alone, they are allowed to convalesce at the centre for the rest of their days. Visitors can take a tour of the facility or arrange volunteer hours where they can learn to take care of the patients.

On our way home our tuk-tuk driver brought us to the foot of a large hill. Still too weak to climb, we took a government jeep to the top where sits the once grand Sajjan Garh Palace overlooking the peaceful lakes and busy city of Udaipur. The structure is affectionately known as the Monsoon Palace as its location was supposedly chosen as an ideal point to watch the monsoon clouds rolling in.
- GeoffLæs mere