March 9, 2016
Week 50: Rest day Udaipur: post office, shopping and eating
"We'll have to be re-enculturated when we get back home in how to que up" Rachel says, after elbowing the crowd through the post office door that was opened only a foot wide. Any bit of space invites someone else to fill it.
Before setting off to find the post office, we have a great breakfast at our hotel that didn't include poha or potato vada. When in tourist areas, it's our time to take a break from local cuisine for familiar foods.
We first asked at our hotel the location of the Post Office. "Over the car bridge to the left" we are told. We go this way and then ask again. We are waved in the same direction we are walking, "a kilometer" the man says. We keep walking 1 km then 2 km, then ask again, "to the round" and a wave in the direction we are to go. We get to the round about, waved across the street to the right. We find the PO, but we are early, 15 minutes to opening and we wait. First lining up until others joined not the line but wherever there was a space ahead of us. Then pushing when the door opens. The mailing goes easier than expected, and we take a tuk tuk back to Lal Ghat area. Whew!
Ready for a morning coffee break, we find Edelweiss bakery for a great cinnamon roll and apple pie! Early afternoon, we take a tuk-tuk to the shopping mall. The first driver said 500 rupees. Patrick had asked at the hotel what we should expect to pay, 100rupees we are told. We walk away when the driver came down to 300 rupees and find another tuk-tuk. The driver says 100 rupees and he would wait the hour for us to grocery shop and eat lunch.
"It feels good to have to chew" Patrick says in the KFC in the shopping mall. We have an 8 piece bucket of hot and crispy chicken, devouring like we fear someone will snatch it away from us at any moment. The first meat we've had in a long time. The tuk-tuk was waiting for us to take us back to our hotel and Patrick tipped him.
On the way back to the hotel, Rachel stops at a Beauty "Saloon" for ladies only for a hair trim. As in Africa, the word Saloon not Salon is used. There's no washing of hair, but a spray bottle to wet down the hair. Good enough and only 200 rupees ($3).
Tomorrow we go sightseeing.
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