Welcome to Rajastan

On the walk from the train station to the lakeside I saw more foreigners than during the entire time since I left the coast. Rajastan is the land of kings, full of castles, palaces, mountains, and deserts, so it attracts plenty of visitors. There is also no lack of espresso bars, rooftop resteraunts, internet cafes, massage parlors, sightseeing guides, snicker bars, toilet paper, all kinds of handi crafts and souvenirs (some of them quiet beautiful), and anything else Indians have learned a tourist might want. Its not that I'm complaining, being perceived as a walking $ is part of the travel experience, but I have been spoiled so far traveling in the less touristy parts of the country. It is beautiful here in Udaipur: the air is fresh, the sky is blue, and eventhough the lake is more like a glorified puddle during the dry season, there are still scenic enough views of the island palace/hotel where James Bond's unfortunately named Octopussy was filmed (although I don't think its worth the $450 minimum per night!). I arrived on the overnight train from Amdavad (8 hours). I was on the waitlist for a sleeper berth, so luckily enough people cancled their tickets, or it would have been a very long night squeezed into second class!