This was my first solo trip and I was superb excited for this trip as mentioned in my previous blog. There is a different feeling when you travel alone – a sense of independence works, which is quite interesting where everything you have to do alone. I would like to add on that for this journey I arranged everything by myself like booking air tickets, hotel booking, airport transport cab, tour planning, tour cab, etc.
Beginning of my journey
My journey started on Friday, 22nd November, 2020, I took early morning Air India flight at 6:55am from Kolkata to Delhi. Reached Netaji Subhash International Airport, Kolkata by 5:15am, boarded the plane by 6: am. Enjoyed the breakfast served to me in-flight by a graceful air hostess neatly draped in beautiful blue silk sari and with a very subtle makeup. We deplaned around 9:30 am at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi and waited at T3 lounge for my next flight at 1:15pm to Udaipur. As I had to wait almost 4 hrs for my next flight, so I couldn’t stop myself doing some window shopping in the lounge, at last I got stuck at MAC showroom and ended up buying MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick for myself (recommendable product), after that I was little feeling hungry so I filled myself with some sandwich and fruit cake. By now it was almost time for my next flight, so reached the mentioned gate number on my boarding pass. In-flight I was given some snack (Patties & Frooty). We reached Maharana Pratap Airport, Udaipur around 2:45am. Collected my luggage from announced belt number and proceeded towards prepaid taxi. I had already done my hotel booking via Agoda.com, my hotel name was Lake Pichola Hotel. Taxi fare was 700/- from Airport to Hotel lake Pichola. It took me around 40 mins to reach my hotel.
I was warmly welcomed by a marigold garland and a glass of chilled orange juice at the reception of the hotel. I checked in by signing all initial formalities. I was allotted to room number 119, it was a beautiful and very spacious room decorated with old mahogany wooden antique furniture, a balcony and an open terrace, needless to mention bathroom was very big and clean with a gorgeous mirror. I was very satisfied with my room; I was treating myself like a Queen at that time and was thinking that I was taken to that era of Rajputana via some Time Machine, I was just loving every bit of it !!
My Rajputana Style Room At A Glance
Let me brief you the historical background this hotel and why I choose my stay in this hotel: This hotel was founded by the legendary Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559 A.D. on the banks of Lake Pichola, Udaipur. This hotel is considered to be one of the heritage and luxurious hotel of Udaipur. All the room of this hotel is stylized with gracious traditional architecture and fixtures, Rajputana style furnishing, majestic arches, dazzling chandeliers from high ceilings, kaleidoscopic view of the City Palace, exquisite works of art on the walls with a look of old Haveli type, rooftop swimming pool with decorative rooftop restaurant making it one of the finest hotel in Udaipur. Needless to mention its brilliant location and excellent behavior of all the staffs. As I am very much fond of historical things so I choose this hotel and highly recommended all of you to stay here whenever you visit Udaipur, of course if you have interest in history and antique things.
The Heritage Lake Pichola Hotel, Udaipur
I was informed by the hotel manager that there is a “sunset boat ride” arranged by the hotel everyday at 5.30pm, which costs 500/- separately. So, I quickly freshened up myself and went downstairs to enjoy the boat ride. Boat was a very comfortable and we were 5 passengers in that boat. The boat driver was well behaved as he was guiding us whatever was coming on the way. We saw while riding the boat, the Taj Hotel in the middle of the Lake Pichola, Udaipur City Palace, Shiv Nivas Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Roopway, Udai Villa, Trident Hotel, Laxmi Villa Hotel, etc along with the tranquil and gorgeous sunset. At last we reached the sunset point where there was an absolute serenity and peace, we could only hear the chirping of birds and nothing else, there was so much of tranquility. The sun was setting in the mountains and its red reflection was in the gorgeous Lake Pichola. Life has some moments which can never be forgotten and this moment was definitely one of them. It was a lovely Sunset boat ride experience in Lake Pichola. After returning from boat, I booked a table for myself for candle light dinner at our hotel’s roof top restaurant called “Upre” at 9:30pm. After that I went to see the “puppets show” and Dharohar Dance (Rajasthani folk dance) at “Bagore ki Haveli”, price of the ticket for Dharohar Dance is 60/- per adult. Brilliant performance by some beautiful Rajasthani ladies, I enjoyed to the fullest. I took an auto to returned to my hotel. I was enjoying my auto ride by watching beautiful scenery of Lake Pichola, City Palace and Old antique jewellery shop where there were gorgeous stone and silver jewellery, marble idol shops, Rajasthani home decor shops, etc.
I reached hotel and freshen up myself again and wore a blue kurti with a leggings, did a light make up and went to the terrace for my dinner. I enjoyed listening to the live soothing performance of Bansuri which was arranged by the hotel everyday at Breakfast and Dinner time. He was playing some of my favourite old melodious number of some famous musician like Madan Mohan, Laxmikant Pyarelal, S D Burman, Shankar Jaikishan. It was a beautiful experience, sitting at the open roof top restaurant listening to live Bansuri by watching the mesmerizing sight of Udaipur City Palace surrounded by Lake Pichola and magnificent Aravalli Hills. Sometimes you can hear the sound of Ghanta from Jagdish Temple. I ordered the famous Rajasthani dish Lal Mass and rice for my dinner. Food was delicious!!
After dinner I came downstairs at the reception and booked a cab for myself for Chittorgarh trip next morning at 9 am. I booked Maruti Swift Dzire which cost me around 2500/- . Here, I meet with one of my co-passenger of sunset boat ride, surprisingly he recognized me as a Bengali girl, maybe because of my Bengali accent…LOL!! He introduced himself as an Air Force Pilot and he resides in Gurgaon, Delhi and he also told me that it was their marriage anniversary and this was a gift from his son to celebrate their marriage anniversary in the luxury lake side facing room with his lovely wife who was Chartered Accountant by profession. We had a nice chitchat for quite a sometime and then we said good night to each other and I went to my room, quickly put on my night dress and went to sleep as I was very tired and I had to wake up early next day for my Chittorgarh trip Good Night 🙂
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