Around Jodhpur

Outside the centre of Jodhpur there are some fine places to visit. The first place I went to was Mandore Gardens, which the guesthouse owner told me about and isn’t mentioned at all in my guidebook. I’m glad I went: it was peaceful, had a surprisingly attractive temple and there were loads of monkeys! I … Continue reading / view photos Around Jodhpur

Mandore Gardens, Jodhpur

Monkeys in Mandore Gardens and other random non-buildings! View photos Mandore Gardens, Jodhpur

Jodhpur, the White City

I ended up enjoying Jodhpur far more than I thought I would. It could be because of a couple I met who found it very dirty. I have noticed that several people’s view of places they’ve visited, and India generally, is often dictated by the hotel they stay in. If it’s good they tend to … Continue reading / view photos Jodhpur, the White City

Majestic Merahangarh

I’m running out of superlatives to describe India’s treasures! The staggering Mehrangarh – Jodhpur’s mighty, muscular, magnificent fort – rises imperiously from a rocky hill, which is itself 125m above Jodhpur’s old town. The fort seems to have been chiselled out of the rock so that the line where the rock finishes and the fort … Continue reading / view photos Majestic Merahangarh

Krishna Prakash Heritage Haveli

This one’s for trainspotters 🤓. The people at the retreat booked my train ticket. It was for class 2AC (second class, air-conditioning). This is often the best class available. When the ticket was booked for me, it was not “confirmed”. Therefore I went on the waiting list. If an existing confirmed ticket holder for a … Continue reading / view photos Krishna Prakash Heritage Haveli

Mount Abu

I’ve spent a couple days in Mount Abu. I managed to stay at the Brahma Kumaris retreat. I met briefly their leader – the second “deity” in a month. The good news was that they provided decent Indian food. Mount Abu has two attractions. The first are the Dilwara (Jain) temples, which are even more … Continue reading / view photos Mount Abu

Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur

Another car ride from Udaipur took me to Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur. I shared the journey with three friendly Koreans: a mother and son living in the UK and a solo South Korean traveller. The driver was definitely overachieving on the beep front – never ceasing to use his horn at the slightest traffic ambiguity. Kumbhalgarh … Continue reading / view photos Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur

Wandering in Udaipur

After the excitement of Chittorgarh yesterday, it was back to Udaipur. The morning was spent planning – booking planes, trains and automobiles. Hunger then set in and I walked to the Queen Cafe, recommended by Lonely Planet. Looking at the dark exterior and no light coming out, I was about to turn away when someone … Continue reading / view photos Wandering in Udaipur

Chittorgarh

There was a perfect blue-sky for a day trip to Chittorgarh – the fort (garh) at Chittor. It’s the largest fort complex in India and rises from the plains of the valley that seem to go on forever. It looks like an island 6km long and elevated 150m from the ground. The origins of the … Continue reading / view photos Chittorgarh

Bagore-ki-Haveli

Whilst strolling around looking for a place to eat, I came across the Bagore-ki-Haveli, an 18th century mansion. There were some similarities to the City Palace with the advantage that it was deserted with just a couple of other visitors. Intriguingly, it has a turban museum, with the world’s largest turban! An American and I … Continue reading / view photos Bagore-ki-Haveli