Udaipur to Jaipur

As it turned out, my empty day in Udaipur turned out O.K. Hired a rickshaw (they call them "tok toks" in Udaipur)to take me into town. Hakeem, the driver, suggested that he show me the "real India" which, of course, I was all for. Hakeem was a graduate economist who now drives a tok-tok. I told him that I knew several graduate rickshaw drivers who are now economists.

Hakeem took me through the guts of the city, principally through vast open air markets offering every conceivable fresh fruit, vegetable and anything else one might need. The market seems to draw a lot of cows and dogs. There is not a cat to be seen in India. To Hindus, the cat is a symbol of evil.

At Hakeems suggestion, had dinner at Ambray, an out door restaurant on the lake opposite the hotel. The weather, view and my appetite produced a sensational, semi-lonely eating experience. The bill, with tip, came to $8.00.

Early morning Jet Airways 1 hour flight to Jaipur get me to the Taj Rambaugh Palace at 9 a.m. The pilot took three minutes to apologize to the passengers for leaving five minutes late. The Rambaugh Palace was built by the Maharaja of Jaipur 250 years ago as a hunting lodge. I t has several hundred rooms situated on several hundred acres of land and could easily accommodate the Maharaja, his hunting companions and the hunted. Last, but not least, it has a tennis court and a tennis pro who, I'm told, has an extra tennis racquet.

Tomorrow morning I'm scheduled to take an elephant ride, my consent given only after being assured of the identity of the rider and the ridee