Jodphur

One question that we kept asking ourselves was why? Why did they expend so much energy and money building enormous forts in middle of a vast, barren scrub desert. Who else would've wanted it?

Jodhpur was amazing though, our first impression was the crowded railway ticket office but it was all uphill from there. Our accommodation was in a beautiful 500 year old haveli with air-con, excellent food and cracking views of the fort. 

 

We headed out into the old city at about 10 and after a couple of hours of serious heat, sight-seeing and attention deflection we were knackered and found an air-conned shop that had cold Coke. The revival continued with some chocolate eclairs and we felt strong enough to tackle the monstrous fort. After picking out the English audio guide we spent a couple of hours marvelling at the miracle of masonry.

It really was one of those forts that nerdy little kids spent hours ogling at in books, before they move onto FHM. Towering towers, mountainous walls and spikes on the gate to stop elephants bashing them down. It also had delicate aspects, with ornate windows carved into the stone, a marble dais where coronations took place, beautifully decorated living rooms and a museum displaying weapons, embroidery and those box things that maharajas used to travel around in. It felt just like a family outing except without the arguments and with someone who appreciated jokes about Japanese tourists. 

 

The next morning I did have an argument, with a man with a disarming smile who managed to take 100 rupees off me and managed not to give me 100 rupees of credit on my phone. Rory dragged me away from my hopeless efforts and off to Umaid Palace. In the '20s the maharaja decided that a fort just wouldn't look good enough in Tatler India and decided to build a palace a few kilometres down the road.

It is now part museum, part hotel as well as being the official residence of the maharaja's ancestors. The museum was fairly well done but we were amused at how well appreciated the maharaja was, it was almost as though he'd funded the whole thing.

His memorial to his dead wife was very impressive though. Made from marble so fine that you can nearly see through it, it doesn't actually need windows because the walls let so much light through. It had beautiful gardens and great views of the fort, so he clearly loved his wife very much. 

 

Manners and I perfected our haggling routine for the tuk-tuks, caught one into the middle of town and bought some rahlly 'traveller' shirts, the thin cotton ones that look ridiculous but are actually really comfy. Then it was back to the havelli for supper and an early night.