I'm propped up on cushions in my west-facing window seat like a pampered maharani. The sun god, to whom Udaipur's Maharana (or great warrior ruler) traces his ancestry, is bathing the hills behind the lake in wedding sari red. Below me, in the crowded lanes of the old city, tuk tuk drivers honk as they careen around corners and street boys call out hopefully in German, French and English at passers by. In a moment I will enter the fray and choose one of the many rooftop restaurants nearby for dinner but for now I'm enjoying this quiet moment, the sun's final flourish and my daydreams of royalty.