Jodhpur is a beautiful blue city. Well from a distance it is gorgeous blue. From our hostel roof top restaurant it is gorgeous blue but down at street level it is all dirt, choking dust, pollution, discordant noises and horrendous smells. 

 Six and a half hours on a quite comfortable bus and we arrived in Jodhpur. We took an auto rickshaw straight to the train station to see about booking our final journey the following week, back to Delhi from Udaipur. The train station was a moshpit of humanity.I got into the line reserved for women, and men kept pushing me out the way. I argued they shouldn't be there and was told by the men they were seniors and allowed to get into the women's line.Eventually the ticket seller shouted at the men and beckoned me "the foreigner" up. With our experiences on the trains not being exactly pleasant so far, we booked 4 X first class sleeper tickets so that we would have a whole berth all to ourselves. 

Next we set off on foot to find accommodation near the train station recommended by Lonely Planet. Two hours later, after asking numerous times for directions and checking and re-checking our map, our backs and legs were aching and we had to give in and have an auto rickshaw take us to another choice, the family run Shivam guest house, where we could get a room for $15A. It turned out to have a wonderful rooftop restaurant looking out over the Jodhpur fort and congenial company of other backpackers. Our plans had been to only stay the night and head off by bus the next day, but our plans rapidly changed as we talked to fellow travellers who said we MUST spend a day at the Jodhpur Fort, as it is extraordinary.

After a good night sleep and a rooftop restaurant breakfast, we set off in an auto rickshaw and then on foot, to see the inside of the fort and to learn about the "Meherangath" (the Magestic Fort) which is still run by the current Maharajah. A audio tour in English was on offer quite cheaply and we were excitedly advised by the operators that the audio hand pieces were Australian made! 

Jodhpur, on the edge of the Thar Desert, gave its name to the horse riding trousers and was a vital part of the trade route in the 1400's for opium, dates, sandalwood and copper. The fort gave a fascinating view into what life was like for the Maharajahs and their families and staff.

Getting back to our accommodation late afternoon, we organised one hour massages in our room then joined other travellers on the rooftop for good conversation and dinner.