Udaipur Part 1: When passion meets tourism, a story teller emerges.
You may have noticed dad is a classic car buff and this trip has partly been about him seeing various private collections. Yesterday we arrived in Udaipur and thanks to Dushyant Singh Rathore we were able to visit his private collection at Fateh Bagh and his wonderful MG at Fateh Niwas.
This morning, I took him to the Maharaja’s car collection. As is standard for most museums in India, the people working there could just about pronounce the name of the model and the year they were made, which were also written on boards; uninspiring at best. Dad however, was able to weave a story around each and every car he has seen so far, from how the company came about to an anecdote about the founders and to how they were killed (!). From stories of world records they held to which he picked various girlfriends up in (pre mum hopefully!) and how the pre pre cursor to The Babe (My own classic car) came about. A usual ‘five minute visit to the museum, click a few pictures and leave’ visit turned into more than an hour and left me more informed and dad with a smile on his face….. I find it prudent not to ask which memories had been conjured. 
😉
Udaipur Part 2:
A lovely lazy morning at Devra Udaipur, out in the countryside, accompanied by their dogs, a view of the city palace in the background, was the perfect way to start the New Year. It also concluded the Rajasthan section of dad’s trip. Udaipur provided him with two classic car collections, the city palace provided an unbelievably busy experience during the day but was an extraordinary venue to showcase a New Year’s Eve event Rajasthani style, albeit with another Scottish pipe band! What is it with Rajasthan and Scottish Pipe Bands?
Of course, I couldn’t not start the year as I mean to go on and so dragged dad along with me to discover a with a new (to me) experience; Indigo block printing, the traditional way producing end products which induced even me to shop.
Then it was time to head back to Delhi, home for a couple of days, some home cooking and a cup of Yorkshire Tea or two. Dad’s over riding comment on India so far has been, “It’s interesting.”
For me, 2016 was the best year I have had in a long time, and this has been the perfect way to end it. A huge thanks to all of you who have contributed along the way. Here’s looking forward to a superb 2017 one and all.
