Hotel Suncity International Jodhpur

... NZ couple, we were only speaking to them for about 1 hour and they gave us their number, address etc so when we get to NZ we can look them up, so lovely they were, Ken and Lou.....

As we sat waiting for the boat to arrive a snake slithered over adams feet, its was mad, it wasnt huge (although he will say otherwise) but pretty scary all the same, just came from nowhere but was more scared of us than us of it I think as it bolted.

We did a ...

... to make up for lazy middle of the days! I went to Meharangarh
Fort on the hill, which was beautiful. It had an amazing collection of
crazy palanquins in all different shapes and sizes, plus the views of
the blue city from the ramparts were great too. Also Jodhpur Palace,
which had amazing architecture but is now mostly a hotel and Mandore
Gardens which had a load of memorial buildings in it. It was nice to be
amidst greenery ...

... audio commentary from the current Maharajah and the Crown Prince (who could not have a plummier accent if he were an actor - apparently he is also keen on polo. Figures.) The former, especially, has had an amazing life story - crowned at four in a newly independent India and, in his early twenties, having the last of his ceremonial powers stripped, and instead remodeling the Maharajah into a cultural philanthropist and ...

... decided to stay near the base of the fort in the old city where looking up you see the fort, and looking down you see blue walls everywhere. The old city is really funky, in a bad way, due to the open sewers and hundreds of ferrel cows. Our first afternoon in the blue we ate at a rooftop restaurant, walked the hectic market, and celebrated Arik's 26th birthday (thanks to those who sent messages, and double thanks to parents, grandparents, and in-laws who ...

... there for over an hour all by ourselves. We checked our watch and realized we did not have time for the camel ride anymore because we had told our rickshaw driver to come back and get us in a few minutes. The manager was not happy with us that we were canceling our camel ride! But we were wondering why he never came and got us from the pool? To top it off our driver never showed up. The manager ...

... at every occasion possible b) wearing my hair in a plait c) adding the word 'yaar' ('friend') to each sentence i utter d) not holding my bottle of Bisleri (mineral water) in my hand and e) dressing up as warm as possible despite it being about 30 degrees because that is really 'cold' for winter in India! Wish me luck... Jaisalmer was very cool, though the accommodation did no way compare to the 'cosy' hotel in Jodhpur. We got kicked out of the first place ...

Well, the past few days have been quite an interesting ride. But very much worth it I would say... well most of it. The camel safari was so completely wonderful... up until the last few hours. We rode camels into the desert and hung out on the sand dunes. But the best part of it all was the fact that we got to stay with our guide's family overnight. Our guide was 33 and had a wife and four kids. They were amazing. The kids were so interested in us ...

... another person's private house with some rented rooms. Our bed was like Princess and the Pea. It was like getting on a horse at night!! The owner said to us, smiling "we have given you a very private room...as you are on honeymoon!" and we thought this was really thoughtful until we saw where it was! A room on the roof with a thousand workman building an extension to the main house! The builders were lovely though. They all stopped to watch us, just to make ...

I love how places become associated with simple one-line phrases that cut through the **** and tell you how it really is, like for instance: "Jodhpur: The Blue City". The first impression of Jodphur is anything but- It is a dusty, red sandstone monolith. It is something of a betrayal, a fraud; up there with: "South Australia: The Excitement State!" or; "Western Australia: Home of the America's Cup" or; "New York: The Big Apple!" (what apple? where?). But the 'blue' is there ...

... that I seem to be wearing the same clothes in every photo. I don't know if anyone else has wondered the same thing, but I confess that it is pretty much true. I have two pairs of grey trousers which I alternate, and I have two thin cotton tops which I wear most of the time. The tops were both bought in India, and are great for the climate. They are also very quick and easy to wash by hand in the evening, plus they are dry by the morning. Why would I need more clothes than this?!