Dec. 25 : Udaipur, with Bombay on my mind

Sunday, December 25 :: Udaipur, India :: 0km today / 751km total

A late morning, as last night's activities ran into the wee hours. The hotelier at the party we were at was plying the 4 of us with free drinks to stay and keep dancing... we were the only foreigners there, and I guess our presence was considered auspicious, or at least desirable. So now I can add "professional dancer" to my resume!

We walked around Udaipur this morning, checking out some temples, the market, etc. Frank leaves tonight, I leave tomorrow a.m., and the girls leave a day or two after. The town is noticably quiet today. Tonight's plan for me is stretching, packing, chicken tikka, and a viewing of Octopussy - mandatory here in Udaipur.

From here its 700-800km to Bombay, the cultural and economic capital of India. The forecast is for daytime highs around 25-28C with tailwind, tailwind, tailwind. In between here and Bombay is the little-visited World Heritage Site of Champaner, which sounds really interesting to me and I will make a short daytime stop in about 2 days. I'm excited yet nervous to get back on the road - my legs feel recharged, ankle is fine, stomach is fine... but Bombay is a long way away with countless unknowns between here and there. But thats what I love most about travelling (particularly by bike) - you never know what's around the next corner. I've said in previous trips that, travelling by bike, you don't know what the next 15 minutes has in store for you... here in India, you don't know what the next 15 seconds has in store for you. The country is so completely eclectic, chaotic, unruly, yet... fascinating. If things go well I'll be in Bombay for New Year's Eve... is there any better place in India to be to ring in the New Year?